Translocator protein expression and localization in human endometrium and endometriosis: A potential target for a noninvasive diagnosis?

Maíra Casalechi, Casalechi M, Cynthia Dela Cruz, Wiviane A. Assis, Assis WA, Millene Vieira-Lopes, Millene Vieira‐Lopes, Vieira-Lopes M, Lopes FEF, Felipe Eduardo F. Lopes, Francisco AMC, Antônio M C Francisco, A.M.C. Francisco, Fernando M. Reis
Cell biology international · 2024 · vol. 48(6) , pp. 898–906 · doi:10.1002/cbin.12157 · PMID:38511230 · W4393050194
article OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 1 in-corpus citation
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This study found translocator protein (TSPO) protein expression is higher in human glandular epithelium of the endometrium and endometriotic lesions, suggesting TSPO-based imaging could aid noninvasive endometriosis detection.

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Abstract

The limitations of current imaging methods to detect small or superficial endometriotic lesions prompt the search for new molecular targets. TSPO is an 18 KDa protein located in the outer mitochondrial membrane, which can be traced by positron emission tomography (PET) using specific ligands. TSPO is located mostly in neurons and inflammatory sites outside the brain. We hypothesized that it might also be expressed in the human endometrium and endometrial-like tissue, being a target for molecular imaging of endometriosis. This prospective cross-sectional study included 28 women with endometriosis and 11 endometriosis-free controls. Endometriotic lesions (n = 49) and normal peritoneum (n = 13) from endometriosis patients were obtained during laparoscopy, while samples of eutopic endometrium from patients with endometriosis (n = 28) and from control women (n = 11) were collected in the operating room using a flexible device. TSPO mRNA expression was evaluated by quantitative reverse-transcription real-time PCR while protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry with a monoclonal antibody antihuman TSPO. TSPO mRNA expression was detected in an invariable fashion in all tissue types evaluated; however, TSPO protein was found to be more abundant in the glandular epithelium than in the stroma, both in the endometrium and in the endometriotic lesions. Interestingly, hormone therapies did not alter the expression of TSPO, and its presence was mostly negative in tissues adjacent to endometriotic implants. As a proof of concept, the protein expression pattern of TSPO in endometriotic tissue and along the adjacent areas suggests that TSPO-based molecular imaging might be used for noninvasive endometriosis detection.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis

Citation neighborhood (2-hop)

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. Outer rings show 2-hop neighbours — papers reached through the immediate citers/citees. [ collapse to 1-hop ]

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