Sexual Medicine Service of Human Reproduction Sector, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo University, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
Climacteric. 2012 Apr;15(2):167-72. doi: 10.3109/13697137.2011.590619. Epub 2011 Oct 23.
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a neuropeptide with elevated expression in regions that control urogenital functions. Estrogen appears to modulate VIP expression in various organs, but this effect has not been demonstrated in the vaginal wall. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of estrogen status on VIP expression in vessels of the vaginal wall.
Surgical specimens were removed from the vaginal walls of 18 premenopausal women and 12 postmenopausal women who were given surgery for genital prolapse grade I or II. Vaginal specimens were stained with estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-α) and VIP antibodies. Levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, prolactin, fasting glucose and serum thyroxine stimulating hormone were also measured. Estrogen status was assessed on the basis of FSH and ER-α scores.
The vaginal walls of premenopausal women had significantly higher ER-α scores than those of menopausal women (premenopausal group, 3.6 ± 2.2; menopausal group, 1.4 ± 1.8; p = 0.01). Premenopausal women also had significantly higher levels of VIP in the vaginal wall than menopausal women (p = 0.02). Increasing age was associated with lower level of VIP staining (odds ratio 0.88; 95% confidence interval 0.78-0.99).
Levels of ER-α and VIP expression in the posterior vaginal wall were higher in premenopausal than in menopausal women, but VIP expression was not associated with estrogen status. Age was an independent predictor of VIP staining in vaginal wall biopsies.
血管活性肠肽（VIP）是一种在控制泌尿生殖功能的区域中表达升高的神经肽。雌激素似乎调节各种器官中的 VIP 表达，但这种作用尚未在阴道壁中得到证实。本研究旨在评估雌激素状态对阴道壁血管中 VIP 表达的影响。
从 18 名接受 I 或 II 级生殖器脱垂手术的绝经前妇女和 12 名绝经后妇女的阴道壁中切除手术标本。用雌激素受体-α（ER-α）和 VIP 抗体对阴道标本进行染色。还测量了卵泡刺激素（FSH）、雌二醇、催乳素、空腹血糖和血清促甲状腺激素刺激素的水平。根据 FSH 和 ER-α 评分评估雌激素状态。
绝经前妇女的阴道壁 ER-α 评分明显高于绝经后妇女（绝经前组 3.6±2.2；绝经后组 1.4±1.8；p=0.01）。绝经前妇女阴道壁 VIP 水平也明显高于绝经后妇女（p=0.02）。年龄增加与 VIP 染色水平降低相关（比值比 0.88；95%置信区间 0.78-0.99）。
绝经前妇女阴道后壁 ER-α 和 VIP 表达水平高于绝经后妇女，但 VIP 表达与雌激素状态无关。年龄是阴道壁活检中 VIP 染色的独立预测因子。
