[Expression of ERα in endometrial-myometria interface of human adenomyosis].

OBJECTIVE: To examine and analyze the expression of estrogen receptor-α (ERα) in myometrium of endometrial-myometria interface (EMI) of adenomyosis and normal myometrium and explore the pathogenesis of adenomyosis (ADS). METHODS: The myometrium specimens were obtained from 41 cases undergoing hysterectomy, including 20 adenomyosis patients in ADS group and 21 other patients in control group. EMI was located and acquired by anatomy and immunohistochemistry. The EMI smooth muscle cells were isolated immediately post-operatively for primary culture. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect ERα in myometrium of EMI in two groups. RESULTS: (1) Uterine smooth muscle cells of EMI were in an excellent condition and cell viability was fair; (2) the expression of ERα in myometrium of EMI of ADS group showed no cyclic change. While in myometrium of EMI in control group, it showed obvious cyclic change. The expression level was significantly higher in proliferative stage than that in secretory stage (P < 0.05); (3) there was no significant difference in the expression of ERα between the ADS (0.18 ± 0.023) and control groups (0.19 ± 0.024) during the proliferative phase. During the secretory phase, it showed significant difference in ERα expression. And the ADS group (0.17 ± 0.032) was much higher than the control group (0.12 ± 0.015) (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The loss of periodic expression of ERα in myometrium of EMI of adenomyosis may be associated with an abnormal regulation of estrogen in adenomyosis.