title: Aberrant levels of Wnt/β-catenin pathway components in a rat model of endometriosis.
abstract: Endometriosis is a benign gynecological disease affecting approximately 10-15% of women of reproductive age and 25-50% of all infertile women. It is characterized by the presence of glands and/or endometrial stroma outside the uterine cavity. Angiogenesis is a crucial process for the development and maintenance of endometriotic lesions. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is a major promoter of angiogenesis in both physiological and pathological conditions. In the present study, we evaluated the expression of molecules related to the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in a rat model of peritoneal endometriosis. mRNA analyses showed significantly increased expression of Wnt4 and Wnt7b and decreased expression of Gsk3beta and E-cadherin in endometriotic lesions. However, there were no differences in β-catenin and Fzd2 mRNA expression. In addition, we observed a significant increase of nuclear β-catenin in endometriotic lesions, a hallmark of Wnt/ β-catenin pathway activation. Stromal β-catenin staining was found in 45.4% of endometrial tissues and 77.8% of endometriotic lesions. β-catenin nuclear localization was found in 18.2% of the endometrial tissues and 33.3% of endometriotic lesions. Finally, the expression of galectin-3, a regulator of this pathway, was increased in endometriosis. In summary, this pattern of Wnt/β-catenin components expression suggests an increased activity of this pathway in endometriosis.
authors: Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Rômulo Medina
authors: RM
authors: de Mattos
authors: Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Paula Rodrigues
authors: PR
authors: Pereira
authors: Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Eliane Gouvêa de Oliveira
authors: EG
authors: Barros
authors: Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Julianna Henriques
authors: JH
authors: da Silva
authors: Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Celia Yelimar
authors: CY
authors: Palmero
authors: National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Nathália Meireles
authors: NM
authors: da Costa
authors: National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Luis Felipe Ribeiro
authors: LF
authors: Pinto
authors: National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Etel Rodrigues Pereira
authors: ER
authors: Gimba
authors: Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Hecht
authors: Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors: Luciana Bueno
authors: LB
authors: Ferreira
authors: Health and Biological Sciences Center, Pharmacy College, State University of East Zone, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Daniel Escorsim
authors: DE
authors: Machado
authors: Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Felipe Leite
authors: FL
authors: de Oliveira
authors: Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. luiz.nasciutti@histo.ufrj.br and luiz.nasciutti@icb.ufrj.br.
authors: Luiz Eurico
authors: LE
authors: Nasciutti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D059467:Transcriptome; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000502:physiology*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C495268:Ctnnb1 protein, rat; D051176:beta Catenin