Endometriosis Knowledgebase


A repository for genes associated with endometriosis

Results


PMID 9886539
Gene Name BCL2
Condition Endometriosis
Association Associated
Population size 75
Population details 75 (302 women with endometriosis, 15 adenomyosis cases, 30 control endometrium)
Sex Female
Associated genes BCL-2
Other associated phenotypes Endometriosis, adenomyosis
Apoptosis and bcl-2 expression in normal human endometrium, endometriosis and adenomyosis.

Hum Reprod. 1998 Dec;13(12):3496-502.

Jones, R K| Searle, R F| Bulmer, J N

Department of Immunology, University of Newcastle, The Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

Apoptosis has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases and is partly regulated by bcl-2, which blocks the apoptotic pathway and promotes cell survival. Apoptosis and bcl-2 expression were examined in paired eutopic and ectopic endometrium from women with endometriosis (n = 30 samples) or adenomyosis (n = 15 samples) and compared with control endometrium (n = 30 samples). Apoptotic cells were detected using the dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assay for DNA fragmentation; bcl-2 expression was demonstrated with a streptavidin-biotin peroxidase immunohistochemical technique. Apoptotic cells were rare in eutopic, ectopic and control endometrium; there were no significant differences between subject groups nor between eutopic and ectopic endometrium. Stromal bcl-2 expression increased in the late secretory phase in control and eutopic endometrium in endometriosis; double labelling studies revealed that most stromal bcl-2+ cells were leukocytes. Stromal bcl-2 expression in endometriotic foci was significantly increased compared with the paired eutopic endometrium, did not vary with menstrual cycle and included a significant population of non-leukocytic bcl-2+ stromal cells. In contrast, stromal bcl-2 expression in adenomyosis remained at low levels and did not show significant cyclical variation. Glandular epithelial bcl-2 expression also varied with menstrual cycle phase and peaked in the proliferative phase; in contrast, surface epithelial bcl-2 expression increased in the late secretory phase. Elevated stromal bcl-2 expression in ovarian endometriotic lesions could have implications for the growth and survival of ectopic endometrial tissue at these sites.

Mesh Terms: *Apoptosis| Endometriosis/*metabolism/*pathology| Endometrium/*metabolism/*pathology/physiopathology| Female| Humans| Immunohistochemistry| Menstrual Cycle/metabolism| Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/*biosynthesis| Stromal Cells/metabolism|DA 1999