title: High expression of calcium channel subtypes in uterine fibroid of patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of calcium channel protein in uterine fibroids, and to explore the relationship between calcium signaling pathway and the pathogenesis of uterine fibroids.
  
  
  METHODS
  Uterine fibroid tissues (UFC) and adjacent healthy uterine smooth muscle tissues (SMC) were collected from 30 cases of uterine fibroids. Real-time quantitative PCR and western blot were used to detect cell membrane calcium channel protein subtypes: TRPC1, TRPC3, TRPC4, TRPC6, TRPM6 and TRPM7. The effects of genes exhibiting most-notable differences on cell proliferation were examined using gene interference techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that calcium channel protein subtypes expressed differently in fibroids and the surrounding smooth muscles. The mRNA and protein expressions of TRPC1 and TRPM7 were higher in uterine fibroid tissues than in smooth muscle (P < 0.05), while no obvious difference was found in terms of other subtypes (TRPC3, TRPC4, TRPC6 and TRPM6). In cultured uterine leiomyoma cells, modifying the expressions of TRPC1 and TRPM7 significantly affected the proliferation rate of uterine fibroids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Calcium channel subtypes TRPC1 and TRPM7 exhibit different expression patterns in uterine fibroids and surrounding smooth muscles, suggesting that calcium signaling pathway regulated by these calcium channel proteins may be associated with the incidence of uterine fibroids.
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University & Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine 324 Jingwu Road, Jinan 250021, China ; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yangpu District Central Hospital 450 Tengyue Road, Shanghai 200090, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yangpu District Central Hospital 450 Tengyue Road, Shanghai 200090, China.
authors.forename: Zhongping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yangpu District Central Hospital 450 Tengyue Road, Shanghai 200090, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yangpu District Central Hospital 450 Tengyue Road, Shanghai 200090, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yangpu District Central Hospital 450 Tengyue Road, Shanghai 200090, China.
authors.forename: Wenchao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University & Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine 324 Jingwu Road, Jinan 250021, China.
authors.forename: Zi-Jiang
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: TRPC; TRPM; Uterine fibroids; calcium signaling