Expression And Significance Of SF-1 And COX-2 In Endometriosis

Objective:We examined the expression of COX-2 and SF-1 in ectopic and eutopic endometrium to determine their effects in the expression of P450arom in ovarian endometriosis.Methods:Reverse transcription—polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical assay were used to examine the expression of mRNA and protein of COX-2,SF-1 and P450arom in eutopic and ectopic endometrium of 45 patients of endometriosis to compare with 26 normal endometrium. Results:SF-1 mRNA which showed a higher level in ectopic endometrium than eutopic endometrium (P<0.01), was absent in normal eutopic endometrium samples; The expression of SF-1 in the ectopic and eutopic endometrium was not correlated to menstrual phase. COX-2 expression in normal eutopic endometrium was low or absent, but increased in ectopic and eutopic endometrium(P<0.01);and COX-2 expression level was higher in ectopic than eutopic endometrium (P<0.01);The expression of COX - 2 in the secretory phase was significantly higher than that in the proliferative phase in normal endometrium and the ectopic and eutopic endometrium(P<0.01). The expression characteristic of SF-1 and COX-2 is the same as P450arom in endometriosis.Conclusion: The increasing of P450arom expression in ectopic and eutopic endometrium caused by the SF-1 and COX-2 may play an important role in the occurrence and development of EMs.