title: Increased expression of the pluripotency markers sex-determining region Y-box 2 and Nanog homeobox in ovarian endometriosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The precise etiology of endometriosis is not fully understood; the involvement of stem cells theory is a new hypothesis. Related studies mainly focus on stemness-related genes, and pluripotency markers may play a role in the etiology of endometriosis. We aimed to analyze the transcription pluripotency factors sex-determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2), Nanog homeobox (NANOG), and octamer-binding protein 4 (OCT4) in the endometrium of reproductive-age women with and without ovarian endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 26 women with laparoscopy-diagnosed ovarian endometriosis (endometriosis group) and 16 disease-free women (control group) to the study. Endometrial and endometriotic samples were collected. SOX2, NANOG, and OCT4 expression were analyzed with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the control group, SOX2 mRNA and protein expression was significantly higher in the eutopic endometrium of participants in the endometriosis group. In the endometriosis group, SOX2 and NANOG mRNA and protein expression were significantly increased in ectopic endometrium compared with eutopic endometrium; there was a trend towards lower OCT4 mRNA expression and higher OCT4 protein expression in ectopic endometrium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The transcription pluripotency factors SOX2 and NANOG were overexpression in ovarian endometriosis, their role in pathogenesis of endometriosis should be further studied.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, P, R, China. weihuang64@163.com.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Qiushi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xianghui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shiyuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002681:China; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010535:Laparoscopy; D000071317:Nanog Homeobox Protein; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D055747:SOX Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C486780:NANOG protein, human; D000071317:Nanog Homeobox Protein; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; C494173:POU5F1 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D055747:SOX Transcription Factors