Expression Of Estrogen Sulfotransferase And Catechol-O-methyl Transferase In Eutopic And Ectopic Endometrium In Adenomyosis And Their Correlation In Endometrium

Objective:The aim of the presen study was to investigate the expression of estrogen sulfotransferase(EST) and catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) in the adenomyosis and analyze their correlation in the endometrium.And then to approach that weather the aberrant expression of individual estrogen- metabolizing enzymes are responsible to the patheogenesis and/or development of adenomyosis.Methods : We examined the expression of EST and COMT using immunohistochemistry (SABC method) in the ectopic and eutopic endometrium tissues from patient with adenomyosis (n=40), including 23cases with proliferative phase of endometrium and 17 cases with secretory phase of endometrium, and in endometrium from controls the patients with Cervical intracepithelial neoplasia Grade3 (CINIII). (n=40), including 21cases with proliferathive phase of endomerium and 19 cases with secretory phase of endometrium.Results:1. Expressions of EST EST was location in the cytoplasm of glandular cells in the eutopic and ectopic endometria, and normal endometria. The average levels of the EST in ectopic and eutopic endometria of patients with adenomyosis were (0.053±0.019) and (0.058±0.015) respectively,which were insignificantly lower than those in the normal endometrium of patients with Cervical intracepithelial neoplasia Grade 3 CINIII (0.057±0.017 P>0.05).2. Expressions of COMTCOMT was location in the cytoplasm of glandular cells in the eutopic and ectopic endometria, and normal endometria too.The leveals of COMT expression in ectopic and eutopic endometria of patients with adenomyosis were (0.086±0.032) and (0.060±0.017), which were significantly higher than those in the normal endometrium of patients with Cervical intracepithelial neoplasia Grade 3 CINIII (0.065±0.161), P<0.05.3. Correlation between EST and COMTThere was no correlation between the expression of EST and COMT in the ectopic and eutopic endometeia of the patients with adenomyosis,but in the endometriua of the control groups ,there has negative correlation between the expression of EST and COMT,in the proliferation phases r=-0.498,the secretory phase r=-0.499 (P<0.05).4. Expressions of EST and COMT in the same endometriua with different menstrual cycle.In the eutopic endometriua of the patients with adenomyosis and the control groups, the expression of EST from the secretory phase is higher than proliferative phase, but the difference is insignificant.In the proliferative phase, COMT was higher expression than the sectretory phase, however the difference was insignificant in the eutopic endometra of the patients with adenomyosis, the higher was significant in the control groups (P<0.05). Conclusion:The EST levels were insignificantly changed in the ectpic endometria.The over expression of COMT in the ectopic endometrial of the patients with adenomyosis have a close relation with the metabolism pathogenesis of estrogen in the ectopic endometrial.The expresion of EST in the present experiment provides further evidence for the significant role of COMT in the metabolism of estrogen in ectopic of endometrial which may play a key role in the pathogenesis and development of adenomyosis,and provide some new enlightenment for the treatment of adenomyosis.