Objective: To assess whether healthy endometrium, eutopic endometrium, and endometriotic lesions express nerve growth factor (NGF), microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2), and synaptophysin (SYP).

Design: Molecular study in tissue extracts.

Setting: University hospital.

Patient(s): A group of women (n = 70), divided as [1] healthy controls (n = 30) and [2] with endometriosis (n = 40), was included.

Intervention(s): From the healthy control group an endometrial specimen was collected by hysteroscopy (proliferative phase, n = 16; secretive phase, n = 14). Endometriotic and endometrial specimens were collected from women undergoing laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis, endometrioma (OMA) (n = 20), or deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) (n = 20).

Main Outcome Measure(s): To assess expression of NGF, MAP-2, and SYP messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in endometrium and in endometriosis by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and protein localization by immunofluorescence. Cultures of human endometrial stromal cells were used to evaluate the effect of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α on NGF and SYP.

Result(s): Endometrial tissue from control expressed mRNA for NGF, MAP-2, and SYP, without any difference between proliferative and secretive phase. The DIE and OMA lesions showed the highest NGF mRNA expression, significantly higher than in eutopic endometrium and control. In DIE lesions SYP mRNA expression was higher than in OMA or in eutopic endometrium or controls. Immunofluorescence analysis of NGF, MAP-2, and SYP showed a slightly more intense positive signal in endometriotic lesions. Exposure to TNF-α increased NGF and SYP mRNA expression in endometrial culture cells.

Conclusion(s): The present study revealed the presence of two selected neuronal markers, MAP-2 and SYP mRNAs and protein expression, in eutopic endometrium and in endometriotic lesions.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.10.024DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

eutopic endometrium
16
map-2 syp
16
endometriotic lesions
12
ngf map-2
12
mrna expression
12
deep infiltrating
8
infiltrating endometriosis
8
endometrium endometriotic
8
secretive phase
8
expression higher
8

Similar Publications

Identification of serum small non-coding RNA as biomarkers for endometrial receptivity.

Genomics

January 2025

Reproductive Medicine Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China; Hubei Clinical Research Center for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Health, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China. Electronic address:

Background: Current endometrial receptivity analysis is invasive, preventing embryo transfer during the biopsy cycle. This study aims to screen serum sncRNAs as non-invasive biomarkers for ERA tests.

Methods: The study included 12 infertile patients undergoing IVF-ET and ERA, whose serum samples were collected for high-energy sequencing technology to detect sncRNA expression profiles.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Metformin reverses infertility in a mouse model of endometriosis: unveiling disease pathways and implications for future clinical approaches.

Reprod Biomed Online

October 2024

Department of Biomedicine Experimental Biology Unit, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.; Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Porto, Portugal.. Electronic address:

Research Question: Does metformin reverse endometriosis-associated infertility?

Design: Endometriosis was induced by transplanting uterus fragments from B6CBAF1 mice into recipients of the same strain. The mice were divided into groups: endometriosis (End, n = 24), sham-operated (Sham, n = 12), endometriosis with metformin (0.5mg/ml) orally administered for 3 months (EndMet, n = 21) and sham-operated metformin-treated (ShamMet, n = 16).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A cRGD-modified liposome for targeted delivery of artesunate to inhibit angiogenesis in endometriosis.

Biomater Sci

January 2025

Department of Gynecology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, China.

Currently, hormonal therapy for endometriosis faces challenges in achieving a balance between treatment and preserving the chance of pregnancy. Therefore, the development of non-hormonal therapy holds significant clinical importance. Angiogenesis is a hallmark of endometriosis, and anti-angiogenic therapies targeting the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) pathway are considered potential approaches for endometriosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Single-cell and spatial transcriptomic profiling revealed niche interactions sustaining growth of endometriotic lesions.

Cell Genom

January 2025

National Clinical Research Center for Obstetric & Gynecologic Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China. Electronic address:

Endometriosis is a chronic condition with limited therapeutic options. The molecular aberrations promoting ectopic attachment and interactions with the local microenvironment sustaining lesion growth have been unclear, prohibiting development of targeted therapies. Here, we performed single-cell and spatial transcriptomic profiling of ectopic lesions and eutopic endometrium in endometriosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Endometriosis is characterized by the ectopic growth of endometrial-like cells, causing chronic pelvic pain, adhesions and impaired fertility in women of reproductive age. Usually, these lesions grow in the peritoneal cavity in a hypoxic environment. Hypoxia is known to affect gene expression and protein kinase (PK) activity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!