title: Dysmenorrhea and its severity are associated with increased uterine contractility and overexpression of oxytocin receptor (OTR) in women with symptomatic adenomyosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate uterine contractility, oxytocin receptor (OTR) expression in myometrial smooth muscle cells (MSMCs) derived from uterine tissues from women with and without adenomyosis correlate OTR expression with uterine contractility and dysmenorrhea severity, and see whether trichostatin A (TSA) and andrographolide inhibit OTR expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laboratory study using human tissues.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients (cases) with histologically confirmed adenomyosis and 10 (controls) with leiomyomas, cervical dysplasia, and cancer but no adenomyosis or endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dysmenorrhea severity was scored by Visual Analog Scale. Uterine tissue samples were collected during hysterectomy. Myometrial smooth muscle cells derived from tissue samples were cultured and OTR protein levels were measured. The effect of TSA (0.5 or 1 μM) and andrographolide (15 or 30 μM) on OTR expression was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Visual Analog Scale scores, and contractile amplitude and frequency. The OTR protein levels in MSMCs were quantified by Western blot analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The contractile amplitude and OTR expression levels were significantly higher in cases than in controls. Dysmenorrhea Visual Analog Scale scores correlated positively with contractile amplitude and OTR expression level. Both TSA and andrographolide dose-dependently inhibit OTR expression in MSMC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oxytocin receptor overexpression in MSMCs may be responsible for increased uterine contractility and adenomyosis-associated dysmenorrhea. Both histone deacetylase inhibitors and andrographolide are therapeutically promising.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai OB/GYN Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: hoxa10@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sun-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Shanghai OB/GYN Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qingliang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Shanghai OB/GYN Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xishi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D062788:Adenomyosis / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007889:Leiomyoma; D008875:Middle Aged; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009215:Myometrium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000378:metabolism*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin; C012589:trichostatin A; C030419:andrographolide