Independent Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Gynecology and Gynecological Endocrinology, Department of Oncological Gynaecology and Gynaecology, Medical University of Lublin, Staszica 16 St., 20-081 Lublin, Poland.
1st Chair and Department of Oncological Gynaecology and Gynaecology, Student Scientific Association, Medical University of Lublin, Staszica 16 St., 20-081 Lublin, Poland.
Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Apr 24;24(9):7787. doi: 10.3390/ijms24097787.
The etiology of endometriosis (EMS) has not been clearly elucidated yet, and that is probably the reason why its diagnostic process is frequently long-lasting and inefficient. Nowadays, the non-invasive diagnostic methods of EMS are still being sought. Our study aimed to assess the serum and peritoneal fluid levels of urocortin 1 (Ucn1) in patients with EMS and healthy women. Moreover, considering the immune background of the disease, the association between Ucn1 and several immune parameters was studied in both groups. We found that the serum Ucn1 level was significantly upregulated in women with EMS compared to healthy patients. Moreover, higher serum Ucn1 levels tended to correspond with more advanced stages of the disease ( = 0.031). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that based on serum Ucn1 levels, it is possible to distinguish deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) from among other EMS types. Together, these results indicate Ucn1 as a possible promising biomarker of EMS: however, not in isolation, but rather to enhance the effectiveness of other diagnostic methods.
子宫内膜异位症（EMS）的病因尚未明确，这可能也是其诊断过程耗时且低效的原因。目前，仍在探寻 EMS 的非侵入性诊断方法。我们的研究旨在评估 EMS 患者和健康女性的血清和腹腔液中尿皮质素 1（Ucn1）的水平。此外，鉴于该疾病的免疫背景，我们在两组人群中研究了 Ucn1 与几种免疫参数之间的关联。我们发现，与健康患者相比，EMS 患者的血清 Ucn1 水平显著上调。此外，较高的血清 Ucn1 水平往往与疾病的更晚期阶段相对应（=0.031）。受试者工作特征（ROC）分析表明，基于血清 Ucn1 水平，可将深部浸润型子宫内膜异位症（DIE）与其他类型的 EMS 区分开来。综上，这些结果表明 Ucn1 可能是 EMS 的一种有前途的生物标志物：但不是孤立使用，而是增强其他诊断方法的有效性。
