Aromatase inhibition on eutopic endometrial cell cultures from patients with endometriosis: effect on cell proliferation and apoptosis

MERESMAN GF; BILOTAS M; ABELLO V; BUQUET RA; TESONE M; SUELDO C

FERTILITY AND STERILITY

Año: 2005 p. 459 - 463

0015-0282

Objective: To study the effect of Letrozole (Let) and Anastrozole (Anas) on apoptosis and cell proliferation in epithelial endometrial cells (EEC) from patients with endometriosis (EDT).  Design: Prospective study. Setting: Research institute and clinical fertility center. Patients: 18 women with untreated EDT. Interventions: Biopsy specimens of eutopic endometrium were obtained from all subjects. Apoptosis and cell proliferation were examined in EEC after incubation with Let or Anas. Main outcome measure(s): Percentage of apoptotic cells (ApC) was evaluated by the acridine orange-ethidium bromide technique; cell proliferation was assessed by 3H-thymidine incorporation. Results: Treatment with Let 10 nM and Let 100 nM enhanced values of ApC in cultures from EDT patients (p<0.05 and p<0.001 respectively vs. basal). EEC treated with Anas 100 nM or Anas 500nM showed a significant induction on apoptosis levels (p<0.05 and p<0.001 respectively vs. basal). Cultures treated with Let 1 nM or Anas 50nM did not show any significant differences in ApC levels compared to basal conditions. 3H-Thymidine uptake was down regulated by Let 10 nM and Let 100 nM (p<0.05 and 0.001 respectively vs. basal). Similarly, Anas 100 nM and Anas 500 nM showed a significantly lower degree of cell proliferation in EEC (p<0.01 and p<0.001 respectively vs. basal). Lower concentrations of Let and Anas did not induce any significant change in cell proliferation rates. Conclusions: Our results show that Let and Anas produced a significant and positive effect on apoptosis and cell proliferation on EEC from EDT patients. These findings support the further investigation of aromatase inhibitors as a treatment option in EDT. Key words: aromatase inhibitors, endometriosis, endometrial epithelial cells, apoptosis, cell proliferation