Expresión de apoptosis, Bcl-2 y Bax en el endometrio eutópico de pacientes con endometriosis.

MERESMAN G; BARAÑAO RI; VIGHI S; GOMEZ RUEDA N; BUQUET R; CONTRERAS ORTIZ O; TESONE M; RUMI L

Reproduccion

Sociedad Argentina de Medicina Reproductiva

Año: 1999 vol. XIV p. 87 - 96

0327-9294

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate and compare spontaneous apoptosis and Bcl-2 and Bax expression in eutopic endometrium from women with and without endometriosis. Design: Apoptosis and Bcl-2 and Bax expression were examined in eutopic endometrium from women with and without endometriosis. Setting: Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental - CONICET, Department of Gynecology and Department of Gynecological Pathology, Clínicas University Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Patients: Women with untreated endometriosis (n=14) and healthy controls (n=16). Intervention: Collection of endometrial samples during diagnostic or therapeutic laparoscopy. Main Outcome Measure: Apoptotic cells were detected using the dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay; Bcl-2 and Bax expressions were assessed using immunohistochemical techniques. Results: Spontaneous apoptosis was significantly lower in eutopic endometrium from patients with endometriosis, compared with healthy controls (2.26 ± 0.53 and 9.37 ± 1.69 apoptotic cells/field, respectively), and was independent of cycle phase. An increased expression of Bcl-2 protein was found in proliferative eutopic endometrium from patients with endometriosis. Bax expression was absent in proliferative endometrium, while there was an increase in its expression in secretory endometrium from both patients and controls. Conclusions: Women with endometriosis have an increased resistance to apoptosis in eutopic endometrium. The abnormal survival of endometrial cells may result in their continuing growth into ectopic locations. Key Words: Endometriosis, eutopic endometrium, apoptosis, Bcl-2, Bax