RESUMO
Background: Recent studies showed that inappropriate expression of microRNAs [miRNAs] is strongly associated with tumor-related processes in humans [2-9,11-17]
Objective: To understand the changes of miRNAs in endometriosis
Materials and Methods: With real-time RT-PCR, we investigated the miR-143 and miR-145 expression in eutopic [EU, n=2] and ectopic endometrium [EC, n=11] [from women with endometriosis] [as well as EU+EC, n=11], along with the normal endometrium [EN, n=22] [from women without endometriosis, but with leiomyoma]
Results: We did not find that the expression of miR-143 and/or miR-145 in EN or EC changed with menstrual cycle. But our results showed the miR-143 was up-regulated in EC [p=0.000] compared to EN. The miR-143 was also up-regulated in EU, but the difference did not reach statistically significance [p=0.053]. Compared to EU, the expression of miR-143 in EC was up-regulated [p=0.016]. MiR-145 had the similar characteristic to miR-143. The miR-145 was up-regulated in both EU [p=0.004] and EC [p=0.000] in compared to EN group. When compared with EU, the miR-145 in EC was up-regulated [p=0.008]
Conclusion: In conclusion, the miR-143 and miR-145 may play a certain role in the development and progression of endometriosis