Endometriosis Knowledgebase


A repository for genes associated with endometriosis

Results


PMID 10871648
Gene Name CTNNA1
Condition Endometriosis
Association Associated
Population size 115
Population details 115 (36 patients without endometriosis, 79 patients with, endometriosis)
Sex Female
Associated genes EGF, EGFR, E-cadherin, beta-catenin, alpha- catenin
Other associated phenotypes Endometriosis
Reduced proliferation and cell adhesion in endometriosis.

Mol Hum Reprod. 2000 Jul;6(7):610-7.

Scotti, S| Regidor, P A| Schindler, A E| Winterhager, E

Institute of Anatomy and Department of Gynaecology, University of Essen, Germany. simone.stratmann@mailcity.com

Endometriosis is defined as endometriotic tissues growing outside the uterine cavity. The cell biological processes responsible for the pathogenesis of this disease are not well understood. In order to detect differences in proliferative activity between endometria and endometriotic lesions, Ki67 staining was analysed. In addition, expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor was examined using immunohistochemistry. For dedifferentiation processes pointing to invasive properties of the uterine epithelium, the presence of the adhesion complex E-cadherin with the associated alpha- and beta-catenin was investigated. Specimens of endometrium in the proliferative phase of 36 patients without, and 79 patients with, endometriosis together with endometriotic lesions were studied. The study revealed a significantly reduced proliferation activity in uterine epithelium within the ectopic lesions but no differences between eutopic endometria of non-affected and affected patients. Furthermore, a lower expression of both EGF and its receptor in the epithelial cells of the ectopic glands was observed. The adhesion complex E-cadherin, together with alpha-, and beta-catenin, was slightly reduced in uterine epithelial cells of women with endometriosis and less expressed in endometriotic lesions. The results indicate that epithelial cells of endometriotic lesions are not hyperproliferative, but do appear to dedifferentiate, displaying an invasive character.

Mesh Terms: Adult| Cell Adhesion/physiology| Cell Division/physiology| Endometriosis/*pathology/physiopathology| Epidermal Growth Factor/physiology| Female| Humans| Immunohistochemistry| Ki-67 Antigen/physiology| Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor/physiology|