Background Stathmin was identified as an endometriosis-related protein by comparative proteomics in our previous study.As a microtubule-destablizing factor, stathmin was shown to participate in the relay and integration of diverse intracellular signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, and many other cellular activities.To investigate whether stathmin is involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, we examined the expression of stathmin in eutopic endometrium of women with or without endometriosis.Methods Eutopic endometrium samples were collected from thirty-six patients who were diagnosed as endometriosis and the nineteen age-matched patients who were confirmed to be free of endometriosis surgically and histologically.The expression of stathmin mRNA was detected by real-time PCR, and its protein was detected by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry.Results Stathmin was overexpressed in eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis detected by real-time PCR in mRNA levels and by Western blotting in protein levels, without significant difference between proliferative and 0secretory phase.Immunohistochemistry showed that stathmin protein was localized in both endometrial glandular and stromal cells throughout the menstrual cycle.Conclusions Stathmin is overexpressed in endometrium of patients with endometriosis and may play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
LI Chun-yanLIU Hai-yuanLANG Jing-heWANG Hong-qingFAN Xiu-ling
Background Annexin-1 was identified as an endometriosis-related protein by comparative proteomics in previous study. As an endogeneous anti-inflammatory mediator, Annexin-1 has been shown to regulate the immune response, cell proliferation and apoptosis. To investigate whether Annexin-1 is involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, we examined the expression of Annexin-1 in eutopic endometrium of women with or without endometriosis, and detected its expression in peritoneal fluids of those with endometriosis. Methods Eutopic endometrium samples from twenty-five women with endometriosis and those from sixteen age-matched women without endometriosis were collected. Peritoneal fluids were obtained from ten patients with endometriosis. The expression of Annexin-1 protein in eutopic endometrium was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting, and mRNA detected by real-time PCR. Annexin-1 protein in the peritoneal fluids was detected by Western blotting.Results Annexin-1 mRNA and protein were overexpressed in eutopic endometrium of endometriosis without significant differences between the proliferative and secretory phase. Immunohistochemistry showed that Annexin-1 protein was expressed mainly in endometrial glandular celts throughout the menstrual cycle. Annexin-1 protein was detected in the peritoneal fluids of all the ten patients with endometriosis. Conclusions Annexin-1 is overexpressed in eutopic endometrium and presents in the peritoneal fluids of patients with endometriosis, and may play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
LI Chun-yan LANG Jing-he LIU Hai-yuan ZHOU Hui-mei
