Department of Gynecology and Oncology, Jagiellonian University, 23 Kopernika Street, Krakow, Poland.
Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2012;73(3):177-82. doi: 10.1159/000331647. Epub 2012 Mar 1.
Human endometrium undergoes cyclic structural and functional modifications, and if no conception occurs menstruation is observed as the result of endometrial cell apoptosis via DFF40/DFF45 complex activation. In postmenopausal endometrium, the proliferative potential of endometrial cells is decreased, while their susceptibility to apoptosis increases.
The study group comprised 104 nonpregnant adult women (78 of reproductive age and 36 after menopause) with no neoplasm or hormonal treatment during the past 6 months. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot methods were used for DFF45 identification and semiquantitative assessment of its amount.
Significantly more DFF45-positive cells were detected in the endometrial glands compared to stroma, and this pattern was constant throughout the whole menstrual cycle and also present in postmenopausal endometrial species. The lowest mean relative amount of DFF45 was detected in postmenopausal endometrial samples. In women of reproductive age, the highest mean relative amount of DFF45 was identified in an early secretory phase of the menstrual cycle, the lowest median value of the relative amount of DFF45 was observed in the late proliferative phase, and the difference was significant.
The DFF45 level in human endometrium corresponds to the respective phase of the menstrual cycle and decreases significantly after menopause.
人类子宫内膜经历周期性的结构和功能改变，如果没有受孕，子宫内膜细胞凋亡会通过 DFF40/DFF45 复合体的激活导致月经。在绝经后的子宫内膜中，子宫内膜细胞的增殖潜能降低，而其对凋亡的敏感性增加。
研究组包括 104 名非妊娠成年女性（78 名育龄期和 36 名绝经后），在过去 6 个月内没有肿瘤或激素治疗。采用免疫组织化学和 Western blot 方法鉴定 DFF45 并对半定量评估其数量。
与基质相比，子宫内膜腺体中检测到更多的 DFF45 阳性细胞，这种模式在整个月经周期中保持不变，在绝经后的子宫内膜中也存在。绝经后子宫内膜样本中 DFF45 的相对含量最低。在育龄期妇女中，DFF45 的相对含量在月经周期的早期分泌期最高，在晚期增殖期的相对含量最低，差异显著。
人子宫内膜中 DFF45 的水平与月经周期的相应阶段相对应，绝经后显著下降。
