Deoxyribonucleic acid methyltransferases and methyl-CpG-binding domain proteins in human endometrium and endometriosis.

Objective: To determine [1] expression levels of both DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and methyl-CpG-binding domain proteins (MBDs) in human endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle and in eutopic and ectopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis and [2] hormone responsiveness of DNMT and MBD expression in explant cultures of proliferative phase endometrium.

Design: In vitro study.

Setting: Academic medical center.

B lymphocyte stimulator -817C>T promoter polymorphism and the predisposition for the development of deep infiltrating endometriosis.

The prevalence of the BLyS -817C>T polymorphic variant among women with either deep infiltrating endometriosis or adenomyosis compared with a group of gynecologic patients without symptomatic endometriosis and a group of healthy women was assessed in this study. Patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis had less often a BLyS -817C/T genotype as compared with the reference group, with an odds ratio of 0.50 (95% confidence interval 0.