Expressions of nuclear factor-kappa B and matrix metalloproteinases-1 in endometriosis and their correlations

Objective:To investigate the expressions of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB) and matrix metalloproteinases-1(MMP-1) in endometriosis(EM),and to evaluate the correlations between the NF-κB and MMP-1 expressions.Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the NF-κB and MMP-1 protein expressions in 35 normal endometria,48 eutopic and 76 ectopic endometria in EM,the results were analyzed statistically.Results: The expressions of NF-κB and MMP-1 were found mainly in the glandular epithelial cells in the three groups,with the highest expression in ectopic endometria and the lowest expression in normal endometria(P 0.05).Both NF-κB and MMP-1 expressions in proliferative phase were significantly lower than those in secretory phase in normal and ectopic endometria(P 0.05).Furthermore,the expressions of NF-κB and MMP-1 protein were positively correlated in normal endometria,eutopic and ectopic endometria(rs = 0.819,0.884 and 0.914,respectively,P 0.01).Conclusion: NF-κB and MMP-1 proteins are overexpressed in EM with a positive correlation,suggesting that they may participate in the pathogenesis of EM.