인간 자궁내막의 생리주기에 따른 성호르몬 수용체, integrin, cyclooxygenase(COX)의 발현 양상

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We examined the endometrium of women of reproductive age with normal menstruation cycles to develop immunohistochemical indices that might complement the histological classification suggested by Noyes et al. STUDY DESIGN: Tissues were obtained firm the endometrium of the posterior fundus in 42 women (proliferative phase-25 cases, secretory phase-17 cases) with normal menstrual cycles(28-32days interval). The specimens were stained with H&E stain and classified according to the method by Noyes et al(1950) into early proliferative phase(-5 ∼-10days from ovulation), late proliferative phase(-4days∼ovulation), early secretory phase (ovulation∼5days), mid-secretory phase(6∼10days from ovulation), and late secretory posse(11-14days from ovulation). Immunohistochemical staining of integrin α1, α4, β3, COX-1,-2, ER, PR expression was performed. RESULT: The expression of ER was high in the proliferative phase and low during the secretory phase. The late proliferative phase showed the highest intensity(p<0.05). On the other hand, the expression of PR in stromal cells was relatively uniform during the entire menstrual cycle. However, in epithelial cells, there was a characteristic peak intensity in the late proliferative phase and low intensity in the secretory phase. The expression of integrin α1, α4, β3 in epithelial cells showed no particular pattern in the proliferative phase but showed specific findings in the secretory phase. In the epithelial cells, the intensity of α1 staining was increased after the early proliferative phase and sustained during the whole secretory phase(p<0.05), α4 was increased in the early and mid-secretory phases, β3 was increased in the mid-secretory phase to late secretory phase. But the stromal cells were weakly expressed in the whole menstrual cycle but showed no particular pattern. In glandular epithelial cells and stromal cells, COX-1 showed a cyclic pattern according to menstrual cycle: it was strongly expressed in the mid-secretory phase in glandular epithelial cells and mid-secretory and menstrual phase in stromal cells(p<0.05). But in luminal epithelial cells, COX-1 was expressed in the entire menstrual cycle but had no particular pattern. In glandular epithelial cells, stromal cells, and luminal epithelial cells, COX-2 was not expressed during the secretly phase but strongly expressed in the mid-secretory phase(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The expression of α1, α4, β3, and COX-2 showed as strong staining during the mid secretory phase which represents the implantation period. The PR expression in epithelial cells was decreased during same period. These characteristic findings will provide helpful information for histological methods of endometrial dating and will be useful in the measurement of endometrial maturation during the implantation period.