PROBLEM: How is the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α-induced inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) protein expression in endometriotic stromal cells (ESCs) involved in cell viability and signaling pathways? METHOD OF STUDY: Endometriotic stromal cells were isolated from ovarian chocolate cysts in 20 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery. IAP protein expression and IκB phosphorylation were evaluated by Western blot analysis. Interleukin (IL)-8 protein expression and cell proliferation were assessed by ELISA. RESULTS: Cellular IAP (cIAP)-2 protein expression in endometriotic tissue was higher than that of endometrium. TNFα markedly enhanced cIAP-2 protein expression in ESCs. Pretreatment with a nuclear factor (NF)-κB inhibitor attenuated TNFα-induced cIAP-2 expression. An antagonist of IAPs abrogated TNFα-induced cIAP-2 protein expression and showed a decrease in TNFα-induced IL-8 protein expression and BrdU incorporation in ESCs. CONCLUSIONS: TNFα and its downstream NFκB pathway have proven to be critical regulators of highly expressed cIAP-2 in ESCs. cIAP-2 may be a novel therapeutic target for endometriosis.
PROBLEM: How is the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α-induced inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) protein expression in endometriotic stromal cells (ESCs) involved in cell viability and signaling pathways? METHOD OF STUDY: Endometriotic stromal cells were isolated from ovarian chocolate cysts in 20 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery. IAP protein expression and IκB phosphorylation were evaluated by Western blot analysis. Interleukin (IL)-8 protein expression and cell proliferation were assessed by ELISA. RESULTS:Cellular IAP (cIAP)-2 protein expression in endometriotic tissue was higher than that of endometrium. TNFα markedly enhanced cIAP-2 protein expression in ESCs. Pretreatment with a nuclear factor (NF)-κB inhibitor attenuated TNFα-induced cIAP-2 expression. An antagonist of IAPs abrogated TNFα-induced cIAP-2 protein expression and showed a decrease in TNFα-induced IL-8 protein expression and BrdU incorporation in ESCs. CONCLUSIONS:TNFα and its downstream NFκB pathway have proven to be critical regulators of highly expressed cIAP-2 in ESCs. cIAP-2 may be a novel therapeutic target for endometriosis.