title: FOXL2 in human endometrium: hyperexpressed in endometriosis.
abstract: The present study investigated expression and protein localization of FOXL2 messenger RNA (mRNA) in endometrium of healthy women and in patients with endometriosis during endometrial cycle. In endometriotic lesions, FOXL2 mRNA and protein were evaluated and a possible correlation with activin A mRNA expression changes was also studied. Endometrium was collected from healthy women (n = 52) and from women with endometriosis (n = 31) by hysteroscopy; endometriotic tissues were collected by laparoscopy (n = 38). FOXL2 gene expression analysis in endometrium of healthy women showed a significant expression and no significant changes in mRNA levels between proliferative and secretory phases; a similar pattern was observed in endometrium of patients with endometriosis. Immunohistochemical evaluation showed that FOXL2 protein localized in stromal and glandular cells and colocalized with SUMO-1. FOXL2 mRNA expression was 3-fold higher in endometriosis than in healthy endometrium (P < .01) and a positive correlation between FOXL2 and activin A mRNA was found (P < .05) in endometriosis. In conclusion, FOXL2 mRNA expression and its protein localization do not change during endometrial cycle in eutopic endometrium from healthy individuals or patients with endometriosis; the hyperexpression of FOXL2 in endometriotic lesions suggests an involvement of this transcriptional regulator, probably associated with activin A expression and related to the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
authors: Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Governini
authors: Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors: Patrizia
authors: P
authors: Carrarelli
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors: Ana Luiza Lunardi
authors: AL
authors: Rocha
authors: Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors: Vincenzo De
authors: VD
authors: Leo
authors: Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors: Alice
authors: A
authors: Luddi
authors: Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors: Felice
authors: F
authors: Arcuri
authors: Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Piomboni
authors: Department of Gynecology Obstetrics II and Reproductive Medicine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, AP-HP, CHU Cochin, Paris, France.
authors: Charles
authors: C
authors: Chapron
authors: The Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors: Louise M
authors: LM
authors: Bilezikjian
authors: Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy felice.petraglia@unisi.it.
authors: Felice
authors: F
authors: Petraglia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D000074842:Forkhead Box Protein L2; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: C421604:FOXL2 protein, human; D000074842:Forkhead Box Protein L2; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors
keywords: FOXL2; activin A; endometriosis; endometrium