Smuc Tina, Hevir Neli, Ribic-Pucelj Martina, Husen Bettina, Thole Hubert, Rizner Tea Lanisnik
Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2009 Mar 25;301(1-2):59-64. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2008.07.020. Epub 2008 Aug 13.
Endometriosis is a very common disease in pre-menopausal women, where defective metabolism of steroid hormones plays an important role in its development and promotion. In the present study, we have examined the expression of 11 estrogen and progesterone metabolizing enzymes and their corresponding receptors in samples of ovarian endometriomas and control endometrium. Expression analysis revealed significant up-regulation of enzymes involved in estradiol formation (aromatase, sulfatase and all reductive 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases) and in progesterone inactivation (AKR1C1 and AKR1C3). Among the estrogen and progesterone receptors, ERalpha was down-regulated, ERbeta was up-regulated, and there was no significant difference in expression of progesterone receptors A and B (PRAB). Our data indicate that several enzymes of estrogen and progesterone metabolism are aberrantly expressed in endometriosis, which can lead to increased local levels of mitogenic estradiol and decreased levels of protective progesterone. Changes in estrogen receptor expression suggest that estradiol may also act via non-estrogen receptor-mediated pathways, while expression of progesterone receptors still needs further investigation.
子宫内膜异位症是绝经前女性的一种常见疾病，其中类固醇激素的代谢缺陷在其发生和发展中起重要作用。在本研究中，我们检测了11种雌激素和孕激素代谢酶及其相应受体在卵巢子宫内膜异位囊肿样本和对照子宫内膜中的表达。表达分析显示，参与雌二醇形成的酶（芳香化酶、硫酸酯酶和所有还原型17β-羟类固醇脱氢酶）以及参与孕酮失活的酶（AKR1C1和AKR1C3）显著上调。在雌激素和孕激素受体中，ERα下调，ERβ上调，孕激素受体A和B（PRAB）的表达无显著差异。我们的数据表明，子宫内膜异位症中雌激素和孕激素代谢的几种酶表达异常，这可能导致局部促有丝分裂雌二醇水平升高和保护性孕酮水平降低。雌激素受体表达的变化表明，雌二醇也可能通过非雌激素受体介导的途径发挥作用，而孕激素受体的表达仍需进一步研究。
