Florio Pasquale, Severi Filiberto M, Luisi Stefano, Ciarmela Pasquapina, Calonaci Giulia, Cobellis Luigi, Petraglia Felice
Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
J Soc Gynecol Investig. 2003 May;10(4):237-43. doi: 10.1016/s1071-5576(03)00045-5.
Activin A is a growth factor expressed by human endometrium, and its biologic effects are counteracted by follistatin. We evaluate whether activin A and follistatin mRNA and peptide expression as well as protein secretion from human endometrium change throughout the menstrual cycle.
In 25 healthy fertile patients, uterine washing fluid was retrieved by hydrosonography. In a subgroup (n = 13), endometrial tissue samples were collected by hysteroscopy during the proliferative (n = 6) or secretory (n = 7) phase of the menstrual cycle. Activin and follistatin mRNA and peptide expression were evaluated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and by immunohistochemistry (IHC), respectively. Activin A and follistatin levels were assayed in uterine washing fluids by specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and evaluated according to the endometrial thickness and menstrual cycle days.
Both activin A and follistatin mRNAs were expressed by human endometrium, and their peptides immunolocalized both in proliferative and secretory endometrial epithelial and stromal cells. A significant increase in immunoreactive activin betaA but not in follistatin was observed in glandular epithelium during the secretory phase. Activin A but not follistatin was significantly (P <.0001) higher in the washing fluids collected during the secretory than proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle. In addition, a significant correlation was found between activin A, but not follistatin, and menstrual cycle days (P <.0001) or endometrial thickness (P <.0001).
Both activin A and follistatin mRNAs are expressed by human endometrium; however, activin A but not follistatin peptide expression and secretion were increased in the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle, suggesting an important role in human endometrium.
激活素A是一种由人子宫内膜表达的生长因子，其生物学效应会被卵泡抑素抵消。我们评估人子宫内膜中激活素A和卵泡抑素的mRNA及肽表达以及蛋白质分泌在整个月经周期中是否会发生变化。
对25名健康可育患者，通过超声子宫造影术获取子宫冲洗液。在一个亚组（n = 13）中，在月经周期的增殖期（n = 6）或分泌期（n = 7）通过宫腔镜检查收集子宫内膜组织样本。分别通过逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）和免疫组织化学（IHC）评估激活素和卵泡抑素的mRNA及肽表达。通过特异性酶联免疫吸附测定法测定子宫冲洗液中激活素A和卵泡抑素的水平，并根据子宫内膜厚度和月经周期天数进行评估。
人子宫内膜表达激活素A和卵泡抑素的mRNA，其肽在增殖期和分泌期的子宫内膜上皮和基质细胞中均有免疫定位。在分泌期，腺上皮中免疫反应性激活素βA显著增加，但卵泡抑素未增加。在月经周期的分泌期收集的冲洗液中，激活素A显著高于增殖期（P <.0001），而卵泡抑素则不然。此外，发现激活素A与月经周期天数（P <.0001）或子宫内膜厚度（P <.0001）之间存在显著相关性，而卵泡抑素则无。
人子宫内膜表达激活素A和卵泡抑素的mRNA；然而，在月经周期的分泌期，激活素A的肽表达和分泌增加，而卵泡抑素则不然，这表明其在人子宫内膜中起重要作用。
