Expression and significance of TNFa and TNFR1 in endometriosis

Objective To detect the expression of TNFa and TNFR1 in endometriosis,in order to explore the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Method Immunohistochemical Strept Avidin Biotin Complex(SABC) methods was used to examine the expression of TNFa and TNFR1 in eutopic and ectopic endometrium from 33 cases with endometriosis which were compared with 20 cases normal endometrium. Results The expression of TNFa and TNFR1 was significantly decreased in ectopic endometrium compared to eutopic endometrium of endometriosis and the control′s(P 0.05). The expression of TNFa and TNFR1 had no significant difference between stageⅠ～Ⅱand Ⅲ～Ⅳ of endometriosis(P 0.05). There was no linear correlation between the expression of TNFa and TNFR1 and the R-AFS clinical staging of endometriosis(P 0.05). The expression of TNFa and TNFR1 was significantly higher in secretive phase than profective phase in control group(P 0.05). In the endometriosis group the expression of TNFa was significantly higher in secretive phase than in profective phase in eutopic endometrium of endometriosis(P 0.05),the TNFR1 had no significant difference between the profective and secretive phase(P 0.05),but its expression was significantly lower than in the same phase of control group(P 0.05). Conclusions TNFa and TNFR1 take part in the adjustment of the menstrual circle. The lower expression of TNFR1 in the secretory phase and ectopic endometrium may play a key role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. There is no linear correlation between the expression of TNFa and TNFR1 and the degree of the endometriosis.