title: The expression of the autophagy gene beclin-1 mRNA and protein in ectopic and eutopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the expression of Beclin-1 mRNA and protein in eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with and without endometriosis, and evaluate the association of Beclin-1 protein expression and serum CA125 levels in the endometriosis group due to CA125 being a well-known biomarker of endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression levels (mean ± SD) of the mRNA and protein of Beclin-1 were examined in uterine endometria from 26 women without endometriosis and in eutopic and ectopic endometria from 26 endometriosis patients through experimental study, as reverse transcription PCR and Western-blotting assays. Serum CA125 levels in the endometriosis and control groups were compared and the correlation between Beclin-1 protein expression and serum CA125 was evaluated in the endometriosis group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both eutopic (0.12 ± 0.04, 1.25 ± 0.42) and ectopic (0.12 ± 0.05, 1.09 ± 0.50) endometriotic tissue from 26 women with endometriosis expressed significantly lower levels of Beclin-1 mRNA and protein than endometrium from 26 normal women (0.15 ± 0.02, 1.67 ± 0.44) (p<0.05). Serum CA125 levels were found to be significantly higher in the endometriosis group (p<0.05). In addition, Beclin-1 protein expression of eutopic endometria in patients with endometriosis was negatively correlated with serum CA125 (r= -0.57, p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study strongly suggests that Beclin-1 may play a role in the formation and progression of endometriosis.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China ; Anhui No.2 Provincial People's Hospital, China.
authors.forename: Longyu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Yuping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Zhaolian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Yunxia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
keywords: Autophagy; Beclin-1; CA125; Endometriosis