The expression of epidermal growth factor and fibroblast growth factor-2 in the eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis

Objective: To compare the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) in the eutopic endometrium of women with and without endometriosis. Methods: Thirty-two women with histologically confirmed endometriosis after laparotomy or laparoscopy were recruited. Twenty-eight women with carcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix, uterine myoma and ovarian tumor but no evidence of endometriosis served as control. Following isolation of total RNA from endometrial tissue and reverse transcription, cDNA samples were amplified by real time PCR to quantify the expression of EGF, FGF-2, and GAPDH genes. Results: Including all menstrual phases, the levels of mRNA expressions of EGF and FGF-2 were not different between the eutopic endometrium of women with and without endometriosis. When analyzed separately according to the 6 menstrual phases, no differences were found between the two groups, either. Conclusion: This study shows that the levels of mRNA expressions of EGF and FGF-2 in the eutopic endometrium were not different between women with and without endometriosis.