Expression and Significance of Cofilin in Eutopic Endometrium and Ectopic Foci of Endometriosis

Objective:To explore the expression of cofilin in the eutopic endometrium and ectopic foci of endometriosis,investigate its function in the development and progression of endometriosis.Methods:The eutopic and ectopic endometria sampled from 35 patients who were pathologically proven for EMT in China Medical University Shengjing Hospital from June 2008 to December 2008 were chosen as experimental group(17 cases in proliferative phase,18 cases in secretory phase,18 cases in mild group(Ⅰ、Ⅱ),17 cases in severity group(Ⅲ、Ⅳ),and the eutopic endometria from 16 patients without endometriosis were taken as control group(7 cases in proliferative phase,9 cases in secretory phase).In situ hybridization method was used to examine the expression of cofilin,and the expression level of cofilin in different groups was analyzed statistically.Results:The expression level of cofilin in eutopic endometrium of endometriosis were significantly higher than those in control group(P0.01).The expression level of cofilin in ectopic foci of endometriosis were significantly higher than those in eutopic endometrium of endometriosis(P0.01).There were statistically significant difference between the levels of cofilin expression in eutopic endometrium and ectopic foci of endometriosis with mild endometriosis and those in eutopic endometrium and ectopic foci of endometriosis with severe endometriosis(P0.01).There were no statistically significant difference between cofilin expression levels in the proliferative phase and the counterparts in secretive phase(P0.05).Conclusions:The unusually elevated levels of cofilin expression in the eutopic endometria of endometriosis may play an important role in the development and progression of endometriosis.