Expression of claudin-4 in eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with endometriosis / 中华妇产科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objeetive To investigate the expression of claudin-4 in the eutopic and ectopic endometfium of women with endometriosis and evaluate the role of clandin-4 in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.Methods Thiny-five women with endometriosis and 35 controls were studied.Expression of elaudin-4 was investigated using immunohistochemistry,western blot and RT.PCR,respectively.Morphologic change of tight junction was also observed in different kinds of endometria.Results (1)G1andular epithelial cells of control endometrium and eutopic endometrium showed intact tight iunctions in electron micrographs,whereas the morphology of tight junctions in ovarian endometriotic tissue was disrupted and collagen bundles could be easily detected.(2)The immunohistochemical staining of claudin-4 was localized to the glandular epithelial cell membrane.Deftcient or weak staining Wag found in ovarian endometriotic tissues. In control endometrium.eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with endometriosis,the expression of clandin-4 protein Was 89±24.84±22 and 27±14.respectively.Relative expression of claudin-4 mRNA Was 14.5±6.8,13.8±9.5 and 2.6±2.5.respectively.Expression of claudin-4 Was significantly lower in the ectopic endometriotic tissue than in the eutopic cndometrium and the control at both mRNA and protein levels(P<0.05). N0 significant difference Was foand between eutopic endometrium from women with endometriosis and control endometrium from women without endometriosis (P>0.05).Conclusion Down-regulated expression of claudin-4 might play a pathogenic role in the formation of endometriosis.