Metal status in human endometrium: relation to cigarette smoking and histological lesions.
Human endometrium is a thick, blood vessel-rich, glandular tissue which undergoes cyclic changes and is potentially sensitive to the various endogenous and exogenous compounds supplied via the hematogenous route. As recently indicated, several metals including Cd, Pb, Cr and Ni represent an emerging class of potential metalloestrogens and can be implicated in alterations of the female reproductive system including endometriosis and cancer. In the present study, we investigated the content of five metals: Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn in 25 samples of human endometrium collected from Polish females undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic curettage of the uterine cavity. The overall mean metal concentration (analyzed using microwave induced plasma atomic emission spectrometry MIP-OES) decreased in the following order: Cr>Pb>Zn>Ni>Cd. For the first time it was demonstrated that cigarette smoking significantly increases the endometrial content of Cd and Pb. Concentration of these metals was also positively correlated with years of smoking and the number of smoked cigarettes. Tissue samples with recognized histologic lesions (simple hyperplasia, polyposis and atrophy) were characterized by a 2-fold higher Cd level. No relation between the age of the women and metal content was found. Our study shows that human endometrium can be a potential target of metal accumulation within the human body. Quantitative analyses of endometrial metal content could serve as an additional indicator of potential impairments of the menstrual cycle and fertility.
Department of Biology and Environmental Protection, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 8, 60-806 Poznań, Poland. Electronic address: rzymskipiotr@ump.edu.pl.
Piotr
P
Rzymski
Department of Mother׳s and Child׳s Health, Gynecologic and Obstetrical University Hospital, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
Paweł
P
Rzymski
Department of Mother׳s and Child׳s Health, Gynecologic and Obstetrical University Hospital, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
Katarzyna
K
Tomczyk
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań, Poland.
Przemysław
P
Niedzielski
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań, Poland.
Karol
K
Jakubowski
Department of Biology and Environmental Protection, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 8, 60-806 Poznań, Poland.
Barbara
B
Poniedziałek
Department of Mother׳s and Child׳s Health, Gynecologic and Obstetrical University Hospital, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
Tomasz
T
Opala
D000328:Adult; D004717:Endometrium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
D019216:Metals, Heavy
Cigarette smoking; Human endometrium; Metal content; Metalloestrogens