논문 상세보기
pp.101-108
자궁내막증은 흔한 부인과적 질병이며 여성 불임의 한 원인이 되나 그 발생 원인에 대하여서는 아직 논란의 여지가 많다. 최근 월경혈의 역류에 의하여 자궁내막증이 생긴다는 가설이 가장 유력한데 자궁내막증 환자가 정상여성에서보다 역류되는 월경혈의 양이 많거나 침습성이 강한 것이 자궁내막증의 발생원인이 될 수 있다는 이론들이 소개되었다. Pleitrophin (PTN)이나 midkine(MK)은 성장 및 분화에 관여하는 인자로서 여러 종류의 악성 종양에서 그
Objectives: The pleiotrophin (PTN) and midkine (MK) are secreted heparin-binding neurokines that share 50％ sequence homology. PTN and MK are expressed in the range of primary human tumors. The association of PTN and MK with carcinogenesis, enhancement of plasminogen activator activity and angiogenic factor are reported. Patients with endometriosis are characterized by the ability of the endometrium to implant; angiogenic and growth factors may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. To test the hypothesis that higher expression of PTN and MK in endometrium from women with endometriosis might be increase angiogenesis and growth ectopic endometriosis implants, we investigated PTN and MK expression by quantitative and competitive polymerase chain reaction (QC-PCR) in endometrium from women with and without endometriosis throughout the menstrual cycle. Design: MK and PTN mRNA expression in endomeoium from women with endometriosis and control patients without endometriosis were determined by QC-PCR throughout the menstrual cycle. Methods: Endometrial tissue was obtained from 25 patients with severe endometriosis and 30 patients without endometriosis undergoing hysterectomy or endometrial biopsy. Stage of endometrial cycle and a diagnosis of endometriosis were confirmed histologically. Total RNA was extracted and reverse transcribed into c-DNA. QC-PCR was performed to evaluate PTN and MK mRNA expression. Results were analysed by Post Hoc test. Results: MK and PTN were expressed throughout the menstrual cycle in both groups. MK expression was higher in follicular phase than luteal phase in endometrium from normal women. endometrium from endometriosis patients showed increased expression of PTN and MK compared to endometrium from normal women in the luteal phase (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our results suggest that uterine endometrium from women with endometriosis expresses higher levels of MK and PTN than endometrium from normal women during luteal phase. Increased MK and PTN expression may be related to the initiation of ectopic endometrial implants and their subsequent peritoneal invasion.
