title: The abnormal expression of oxytocin receptors in the uterine junctional zone in women with endometriosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The junctional zone (JZ), also called as the endometrial-myometrial junction, is related to peristaltic-like movements in the non-pregnant uterus. Hyperperistalsis and dysperistalsis of uterus constructions might underlie many important disorders such as dysmenorrhea, infertility, endometriosis, implantation failure. The major proteins for uterine contraction of the non-pregnant uterus may be Oxytocin (OT) and oxytocin receptor (OTR). The objective of this study was to inspect the expression of OTR in isthmic and mid-fundal parts of the uterine junctional zone at different stages of the follicular cycle in patients with and without endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Uterine biopsies containing endometrium and junctional zone were collected from the isthmic and mid-fundal parts of the anterior wall after hysterectomy. The OTR expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the control uterus, OTR expression in the isthmic region was significantly higher than in the fundal region in the proliferative phase (p < 0.05) but significantly lower in the secretory phase (p < 0.05). And the expression of OTR in the proliferative phase was significantly higher than that in the secretory phase in both isthmic and fundal regions (p = 0.000 and 0.049, respectively). However, in endometriosis uteri, OTR expression in the isthmic region showed no significant difference with that in the fundal region in both proliferative and secretory phases (p = 0.597 and 0.736, respectively). In both isthmic and fundal regions, OTR expression was not significantly different between the proliferative phase and secretory phase (p = 0.084 and 0.222, respectively). OTR expression in fundal regions of revised ASRM I and II endometriosis were lower than that of revised ASRM III and IV (p = 0.049). In the fundal region of JZ, the expression of OTR in ovarian endometriosis was significantly lower than that in deep infiltrating endometriosis (p = 0.046). The expression level of OTR in the funds region is positively associated with the severity of dysmenorrhea in endometriosis group (r = 0.870, p < 0.05). Comparing to normal uteri, the expression of OTR in the secretory phase was significantly higher in the endometriosis uteri (p < 0.05). In the fundus of endometriosis uteri, OTR expression was significantly higher in both the proliferative and secretory phases (p = 0.045 and 0.028, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OTR expression in the JZ of women with endometriosis changes significantly, which may result in abnormal uterine contractile activity, reducing the endometriosis-related fertility and dysmenorrhea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Meishan Road, Hefei, 230000, China.|Assisted Reproductive Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Meishan Road, Hefei, 230000, China.
authors.forename: Miaomaio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Meishan Road, Hefei, 230000, China.
authors.forename: Xuqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Meishan Road, Hefei, 230000, China.
authors.forename: Peipei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Assisted Reproductive Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Meishan Road, Hefei, 230000, China.
authors.forename: Zhaojuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Meishan Road, Hefei, 230000, China.
authors.forename: Yuting
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Meishan Road, Hefei, 230000, China. Weizhaolian_1@126.com.|Assisted Reproductive Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Meishan Road, Hefei, 230000, China. Weizhaolian_1@126.com.
authors.forename: Zhaolian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016014:Linear Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009215:Myometrium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014590:Uterine Contraction; D014599:Uterus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: C569600:OXTR protein, human; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin
keywords: Endometriosis; Junctional zone; Oxytocin receptor