title: Characterization of periostin expression in human endometrium and endometriotic lesions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of periostin in the eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women diagnosed as endometriosis and evaluate the role of periostin in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, the expression of periostin was evaluated in the endometrial specimens from 35 women diagnosed as endometriosis and from 30 healthy women. To assess the presence and localization of periostin throughout the menstrual cycle in both eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with endometriosis, microscopic evaluation was conducted. It was also subsequently compared with normal endometrium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with endometriosis, immunoreactivities of periostin increased compared with those of normal endometrium. We also observed a cyclic variation in the eutopic stromal periostin immunoreactivity throughout their menstrual cycle because higher H score values were observed in the proliferative phase than those in the secretory phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicated that periostin may be involved in the pathophysiology of endometriosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Peishu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Peihai
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiaolei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000378:metabolism; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C512835:POSTN protein, human