BACKGROUND: In order to test our hypothesis that endometriosis is associated with abnormal expression of telomerase and telomere lengthening in endometrium, we assessed endometrial expression of the human telomerase enzyme and telomere length (TL). METHODS: This prospective pilot study, included 29 women with symptomatic, surgically diagnosed endometriosis (Group 1) and 27 healthy, fertile, symptom-free women without endometriosis (Group 2, confirmed by laparoscopy). Seventeen women in Group 1 and 15 women in Group 2 had endometrial biopsies taken on Day 21 +/- 2 of the cycle. A further 12 women in each group were biopsied on Day 26 +/- 2. Telomerase and estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Mean TL was determined by quantitative PCR. RESULTS: The endometria of fertile healthy women showed either weak or no telomerase immunoreactivity throughout the luteal phase. Immunostaining for telomerase was significantly increased during the implantation window and the premenstrual endometria of women with endometriosis (P < 0.0001). This was associated with a loss of stromal and vascular ERbeta immunostaining (P < 0.05). The mean TL were significantly longer in endometria of women with endometriosis during the implantation window (P = 0.005), indicating the biological relevance of our novel finding of telomerase in benign endometrium. There was positive correlation of the circulating estradiol with peripheral blood TL in women. CONCLUSIONS: We speculate that aberrant endometrial expression of telomerase mediates alterations in cell fate that enhance proliferation, contributing to the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
BACKGROUND: In order to test our hypothesis that endometriosis is associated with abnormal expression of telomerase and telomere lengthening in endometrium, we assessed endometrial expression of the human telomerase enzyme and telomere length (TL). METHODS: This prospective pilot study, included 29 women with symptomatic, surgically diagnosed endometriosis (Group 1) and 27 healthy, fertile, symptom-free women without endometriosis (Group 2, confirmed by laparoscopy). Seventeen women in Group 1 and 15 women in Group 2 had endometrial biopsies taken on Day 21 +/- 2 of the cycle. A further 12 women in each group were biopsied on Day 26 +/- 2. Telomerase and estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Mean TL was determined by quantitative PCR. RESULTS: The endometria of fertile healthy women showed either weak or no telomerase immunoreactivity throughout the luteal phase. Immunostaining for telomerase was significantly increased during the implantation window and the premenstrual endometria of women with endometriosis (P < 0.0001). This was associated with a loss of stromal and vascular ERbeta immunostaining (P < 0.05). The mean TL were significantly longer in endometria of women with endometriosis during the implantation window (P = 0.005), indicating the biological relevance of our novel finding of telomerase in benign endometrium. There was positive correlation of the circulating estradiol with peripheral blood TL in women. CONCLUSIONS: We speculate that aberrant endometrial expression of telomerase mediates alterations in cell fate that enhance proliferation, contributing to the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
Authors: Keri Horan Kalmbach; Danielle Mota Fontes Antunes; Roberta Caetano Dracxler; Taylor Warner Knier; Michelle Louise Seth-Smith; Fang Wang; Lin Liu; David Lawrence Keefe Journal: Fertil Steril Date: 2013-01 Impact factor: 7.329
Authors: Naoko Sasamoto; Jennifer Yland; Allison F Vitonis; Daniel W Cramer; Linda J Titus; Immaculata De Vivo; Stacey A Missmer; Kathryn L Terry Journal: Reprod Sci Date: 2020-06-23 Impact factor: 3.060
Authors: D K Hapangama; M A Turner; J Drury; L Heathcote; Y Afshar; P A Mavrogianis; A T Fazleabas Journal: Hum Reprod Date: 2010-09-21 Impact factor: 6.918
Authors: Vicki Nisenblat; Patrick M M Bossuyt; Rabia Shaikh; Cindy Farquhar; Vanessa Jordan; Carola S Scheffers; Ben Willem J Mol; Neil Johnson; M Louise Hull Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2016-05-01
Authors: Devashana Gupta; M Louise Hull; Ian Fraser; Laura Miller; Patrick M M Bossuyt; Neil Johnson; Vicki Nisenblat Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2016-04-20