Lower expression of ER-α36 is associated with the development of endometrial hyperplasia in PCOS patients
Sheng-Li Lin1,2,3,*, Bin-Bin Tu1,2,3,*,#, Xiao-Guo Du1,2,3, Li-Ying Yan1,2,3 and Jie Qiao1,2,3
1Reproductive Medical Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, 2Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education and 3Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproduction, Beijing, China, #Present address: Department of Gynecological Oncology, Cancer Institute (Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China,
*Sheng-Li Lin, Bin-Bin Tu contributed equally to this work.
Offprint requests to: Jie Qiao, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medical Centre, Peking University Third Hospital. No. 49 North Huayuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China 100191. e-mail: jie.qiao@263.net
Summary. Objective: To explore the expression change of ER-α36 in endometria of PCOS patients. Methods: Proliferative endometria were collected and divided into three groups: CE group (n=30), proliferative endometria from control women; PCOSE group (n=30), proliferative endometria from PCOS patients; HPCOSE group (n=15), hyperplastic endometria from PCOS patients. The cellular localization of ER-α36 and ER-α66 was analyzed by immunohistochemistry, and expression of ER-α36 and ER-α66 was determined by immunohisto-chemistry and Real-Time Quantitative PCR. The correlation between serum hormone concentration and expression of ER-α36 and ER-α66 was analyzed. Results: ER-α36 was localized on the cell surface, cytoplasm and nucleus of glandular epithelial cells of both CE and PCOSE groups, mainly on the cell surface, and ER-α66 was localized on the nucleus. The protein and mRNA expression of ER-α36 was decreased from CE, PCOSE to HPCOSE group, while expression of ER-α66 showed no obvious difference among groups. The expression ratio of ER-α36 to ER-α66 of CE, PCOSE and HPCOSE group showed a decreasing tendency. The expression of ER-α36 and its expressive ratio to ER-α66 was negatively correlated with serum concentration of LH, LH/FSH, testosterone and androstenedione. Conclusions: Lower expression of ER-α36 is associated with the development of endometrial hyperplasia in PCOS patients. Histol Histopathol 28, 1491-1498 (2013)
Key words: Polycystic ovary syndrome, Estrogen receptor-a36, Endometrial hyperplasia
DOI: 10.14670/HH-28.1491