title: Physiologic activation of nuclear factor kappa-B in the endometrium during the menstrual cycle is altered in endometriosis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) activation and NF-κB-p65 subunit activation, immunolocalization, and expression in the endometrium of healthy women and endometriosis patients throughout the menstrual cycle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Affiliated hospital and university research laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four healthy women and 24 endometriosis patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Menstrual, proliferative, and secretory endometrial biopsies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Assessment of NF-κB and p65 activation by protein-DNA binding assays and p65 localization and expression by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total NF-κB-DNA binding was constitutive and variable in human endometrium accross the menstrual cycle. Healthy women (physiologic conditions) showed higher p65-DNA binding in proliferative than in menstrual and secretory endometrium. Conversely, in endometriosis patients, p65-DNA binding was higher in proliferative and secretory endometrium than in menstrual endometrium. Endometrial epithelial cells showed higher p65 expression level score than endometrial stromal cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NF-κB activity is constitutive, physiologic, and variable in human endometrium. The physiologic cyclic p65 activation pattern was altered in endometriosis patients, showing no cyclic variation between the proliferative and secretory phase of the menstrual cycle. The absence of decreased p65 activity in secretory endometrium from endometriosis patients is concurrent with progesterone resistance and could participate in endometrial biologic alterations during the implantation window in endometriosis patients.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Instituto de Investigaciones Materno Infantil, Hospital San Borja-Arriarán, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile. rgonzalezr@med.uchile.cl
authors.forename: Reinaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: González-Ramos
authors.forename: Jocelyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rocco
authors.forename: Candy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sovino
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poch
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kohen
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alvarado-Díaz
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Devoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001665:Binding Sites; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002677:Chile; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000378:metabolism; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism*; D008598:Menstruation / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B; C498143:RELA protein, human; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D004247:DNA