Department of Gynaecology, Endometriosis Research Centre Charité, Berlin, Germany.
Eur J Pain. 2013 Nov;17(10):1425-37. doi: 10.1002/j.1532-2149.2013.00323.x. Epub 2013 May 6.
Recent studies demonstrated the potential involvement of nerve fibres in the chronic inflammatory process of endometriosis. We aimed to characterize nerve fibres in the proximal and distal areas of the peritoneal endometriotic lesions in order to understand the chronic inflammatory process in endometriosis.
Peritoneal endometriotic lesions (proximal area) (n = 17), the matching unaffected peritoneum (distal area) and healthy peritoneum of patients without endometriosis (n = 15) were analysed with the neuronal markers PGP 9.5, calbindin, calretinin and parvalbumin. Peritoneal fluids of women with and without endometriosis were used for Western blot analysis and for the neuronal growth assay. The protein expression of neuronal PC-12 cells incubated with peritoneal fluids was analysed.
The overall nerve fibre density was significantly reduced in the distal area of the lesion when compared with the proximal area or with healthy peritoneum. The density of calbindin-, calretinin- and parvalbumin-positive nerve fibres was significantly increased in the endometriosis group. Calretinin expression was elevated in the peritoneal fluid of women with symptomatic endometriosis when compared with women with asymptomatic endometriosis. Furthermore, PC-12 cells incubated with peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis showed a higher proliferation rate and a stronger neurite outgrowth than the control group. PC-12 cells incubated in peritoneal fluids of women with endometriosis expressed less calretinin but more calbindin than the control group.
Calcium-binding proteins seem to be increased in endometriosis-associated nerve fibres and might play an important role in the chronic inflammatory condition and the pain pathogenesis of endometriosis.
最近的研究表明，神经纤维可能参与子宫内膜异位症的慢性炎症过程。我们旨在描述腹膜子宫内膜异位症病变的近侧和远侧区域的神经纤维，以了解子宫内膜异位症的慢性炎症过程。
分析了 17 例腹膜子宫内膜异位症病变（近侧区域）、匹配的无病变腹膜（远侧区域）和无子宫内膜异位症患者的健康腹膜，使用神经元标志物 PGP 9.5、钙结合蛋白、钙调蛋白和副甲状腺蛋白进行分析。对有和没有子宫内膜异位症的女性的腹膜液进行 Western blot 分析和神经元生长测定。分析了与腹膜液孵育的神经元 PC-12 细胞的蛋白质表达。
与近侧区域或健康腹膜相比，病变远侧区域的总神经纤维密度显著降低。钙结合蛋白、钙调蛋白和副甲状腺蛋白阳性神经纤维的密度在子宫内膜异位症组中显著增加。与无症状子宫内膜异位症的女性相比，有症状子宫内膜异位症女性的腹膜液中钙调蛋白的表达升高。此外，与对照组相比，用子宫内膜异位症女性的腹膜液孵育的 PC-12 细胞显示出更高的增殖率和更强的神经突生长。与对照组相比，用子宫内膜异位症女性的腹膜液孵育的 PC-12 细胞表达的钙调蛋白较少，但钙结合蛋白较多。
钙结合蛋白似乎在与子宫内膜异位症相关的神经纤维中增加，可能在子宫内膜异位症的慢性炎症状态和疼痛发病机制中发挥重要作用。
