expression of the autophagy gene beclin-1 mRNA and protein in ectopic and eutopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis

ABSTRACT

To investigate the expression of Beclin-1 mRNA and protein in eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with and without endometriosis, and evaluate the association of Beclin-1 protein expression and serum CA125 levels in the endometriosis group due to CA125 being a well-known biomarker of endometriosis. The expression levels [mean +/- SD] of the mRNA and protein of Beclin-1 were examined in uterine endometria from 26 women without endometriosis and in eutopic and ectopic endometria from 26 endometriosis patients through experimental study, as reverse transcription PCR and Western-blotting assays. Serum CA125 levels in the endometriosis and control groups were compared and the correlation between Beclin-1 protein expression and serum CA125 was evaluated in the endometriosis group. Both eutopic [0.12 +/- 0.04, 1.25 +/- 0.42] and ectopic [0.12 +/- 0.05, 1.09 +/- 0.50] endometriotic tissue from 26 women with endometriosis expressed significantly lower levels of Beclin-1 mRNA and protein than endometrium from 26 normal women [0.15 +/- 0.02, 1.67 +/- 0.44] [p<0.05]. Serum CA125 levels were found to be significantly higher in the endometriosis group [p<0.05]. In addition, Beclin-1 protein expression of eutopic endometria in patients with endometriosis was negatively correlated with serum CA125 [r= -0.57, p<0.01]. The present study strongly suggests that Beclin-1 may play a role in the formation and progression of endometriosis