title: Expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in the uterus of patients with leiomyoma or adenomyosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To confirm the difference in the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in the normal endometrium and myometrium of women who have leiomyoma or adenomyosis compared with controls, and its correlation with the pathogenesis of menorrhagia or dysmenorrhea in patients with uterine leiomyoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-one hysterectomized patients were divided into three groups: (i) patients with leiomyoma (n=24); (ii) those with adenomyosis (n = 19); and (iii) the control group (n=8). The expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase was confirmed on immunohistochemistry and analyzed using an evaluation nomogram.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase was significantly higher in the leiomyoma group and the adenomyosis group as compared with the control group. In the subgroup analysis of leiomyoma depending on symptoms (menorrhagia or dysmenorrhea or both), the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase was significantly higher in the symptomatic subgroup than the asymptomatic subgroup (endometrium P=0.0029, myometrium P=0.0276).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the findings that the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase was significantly higher in the uterus with leiomyoma or adenomyosis, it can therefore be inferred that nitric oxide might have a pathological effect on the uterus with the above diseases. In particular, it is also presumed that endothelial nitric oxide synthase is closely associated with menorrhagia and dysmenorrhea.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Myongji Hospital, Kwandong University College of Medicine, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Na-Jung
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Ki-Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Cha-Nam
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Sang Yeop
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Se-Ryun
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D062788:Adenomyosis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000209:etiology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D007045:Hysterectomy, Vaginal; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D008595:Menorrhagia / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009215:Myometrium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D014599:Uterus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III