The Expression Of Oxytocin Receptor In Uterine Junctional Zone Of Women With Endometriosis

Objective: The objective of this study was to inspect the expression of OTR in isthmic and mid-fundal parts of the uterine junctional zone at different stages of the follicular cycle in patients with and without endometriosis.Methods: Based on the endometrial histology,there were 21 women with endometriosis,15 women in the proliferative phase and 6 women in the secretory phase,as well as 48 women without endometriosis,with 26 women in the proliferative phase and 22 women in the secretory phase.Uterine biopsies containing endometrium and junctional zone were collected from the isthmic and mid-fundal parts of the anterior wall after hysterectomy.The OTR expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry.Results: In the control uterus,OTR expression in the isthmic region was significantly higher than in the fundal region in the proliferative phase(p<0.05)but significantly lower in the secretory phase(p<0.05).And the expression of OTR in the proliferative phase was significantly higher than that in the secretory phase in both isthmic and fundal regions(p=0.000 and 0.049,respectively).However,in endometriosis uteri,OTR expression in the isthmic region showed no significant difference with that in the fundal region in both proliferative and secretory phases(p=0.597 and 0.736,respectively).In both isthmic and fundal regions,OTR expression was not significantly different between the proliferative phase and secretory phase(p=0.084 and 0.222,respectively).OTR express ion in fundal regions of revised r ASRM I and II endometriosis were lower than that of revised r ASRM III and IV(p=0.049).In the fundal region of JZ,the expression of OTR in ovarian endometriosis was significantly lower than that in deep infiltrating endometriosis(p=0.046).The expression level of OTR in the funds region is positively associated with the severity of dysmenorrhea in endometriosis group(r=0.872,p<0.05).Comparing to normal uteri,the expression of OTR in the secretory phase was significantly higher in the endometriosis uteri(p<0.05).In the fundus of endometriosis uteri,OTR expression was significantly higher in both the proliferative and secretory phases(p=0.045 and 0.028,respectively).Conclusion: OTR expression in the JZ of women with endometriosis changes significantly,which may result in abnormal uterine contractile activity,reducing the endometriosis-related fertility and dysmenorrhea.