Antiapoptotic effect of vegf and IL-1b on endometrial epithelial cells cultures from patients with endometriosis (EDT)

BILOTAS M; MERESMAN GF; BUQUET RA; SUELDO C; BARAÑAO RI

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Jornada; VIII Jornadas Multidisciplinarias de la Sociedad Argentina de Biología; 2006

In previous studies we observed that treatment with a GnRH agonist, Leuprolide Acetate (LA), increases the apoptosis in the EEC and decreases the production of VEGF and IL-1b. In addition it is known that VEGF and IL-1b are increased in the peritoneal environment of patients with EDT. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the addition of VEGF and IL-1b on apoptosis induced by LA in the EEC. Primary cultures of the EEC were made from biopsies of endometrial tissue of patients with EDT and controls. Percentage of apoptotic cells (%ApC) was evaluated using the acridine orange - etidium bromide technique. We observed that treatment with LA 1000 ng/ml increased the % ApC from 25 ± 2% to 49 ± 3% in the EEC from control women and 20 ± 2% to 43 ± 5% in EEC from patients with EDT (p<0.001 vs. basal). The addition of VEGF at different concentrations (0.1, 1 and 10 ng/ml) 3 hours after the LA treatment, rescued apoptosis in EEC from  controls: 29 ± 3%, 23 ± 2% and 22 ± 2% respectively (p<0.001 vs LA  and p>0.05 vs basal); and from patients with EDT: 20 ± 3%, 18 ± 2% and 24 ± 5% respectively (p<0.01 vs LA, p>0.05 vs basal).  In the same way treatment with IL-1b (0.1, 1 and 10 ng/ml) 3 hours after LA treatment, rescued apoptosis in EEC cultures from controls: 31 ± 3%, 25 ± 2% and 23 ± 36% respectively  (p<0.001 vs LA, p>0.05 vs basal); and in EEC from patients with EDT: 21 ± 4%, 16 ± 2% and 19 ± 3% respectively (p<0.001 vs LA, p>0.05 vs basal). In summary, both VEGF and IL-1b showed antiapoptotic effects in EEC. Both factors could favor the survival and development of the ectopic endometrial tissue.