Aberrant expression of glutathione peroxidase in eutopic and ectopic endometrium in endometriosis and adenomyosis

Abstract

Objective: To determine the expression of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the eutopic and ectopic endometria during the menstrual cycle in endometriosis and adenomyosis. Design: Immunohistochemical identification of GPx in endometrial tissues identified using the polyclonal antibody. Setting: Department of obstetrics and gynecology in a university hospital. Patient(s): One hundred fourteen women divided into three groups: 33 patients with endometriosis, 34 patients with adenomyosis, and 47 fertile control subjects. Intervention(s): Endometrium biopsied throughout the menstrual cycle. Main Outcome Measure(s): Endometrial cells: semiquantitative immunostaining (evaluation nomogram) score. Result(s): The analyses revealed phase-dependent changes of GPx expression in the surface and glandular epithelia in the eutopic endometrium during the menstrual cycle in the fertile controls, i.e., the expression was weak in the early proliferative phase, gradually increased, was most marked in the early secretory phase, and decreased thereafter. The expression of GPx in the eutopic endometrium in endometriosis lost the variation during the menstrual cycle. The expression of GPx in adenomyosis was persistently marked over the control levels throughout the menstrual cycle. Conclusion(s): The aberrant expression of GPx in the eutopic endometrium throughout the cycle suggests a pathological role in endometriosis and adenomyosis.