Changes in the concentrations of receptors of insulin-like growth factor-I, epithelial growth factor, oestrogens and progestagens in adenomyosis foci, endometrium and myometrium of women during menstrual cycle.

Concentrations of receptors of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I-R), epithelial growth factor (EGF-R), oestrogen (ER), and progesterone (PR) in the adenomyosis foci, endometrium and myometrium of women during the menstrual cycle were studied. Cell membrane levels of IGF-I-R and EGF-R, cytosol and nuclear oestrogen (ERc and ERn, respectively) and cytosol progesterone (PRc) receptors were assayed in 37 samples of adenomyosis foci, 46 of endometrium and 50 of myometrium using the radioligand method. It was found that concentrations of ER and PR in all studied tissues were significantly higher in the proliferative phase than in the secretory phases. In the endometrium a similar difference concerned only the ERn but not the ERc. Adenomyosis foci as compared to endometrium and myometrium showed the highest ERn and PRc concentrations during the proliferative and secretory phase. Adenomyosis foci and myometrium contained significantly higher concentrations of IGF-I-R in the proliferative phase than in the secretory phase. In the endometrium a menstrual cycle-related difference in concentration of IGF-I-R was not significant. In the endometrium however the concentration of EGF-R was over twice as high in the proliferative phase than in the secretory phase. No significant difference in the concentrations of EGF-R in adenomyosis foci and in myometrium during the menstrual cycle was noted. The findings show that changes in regulation of the concentrations of IGF-I-R, EGF-R, ER and PR in the uterus of women during menstrual cycles are related to the tissular localization of these receptors.