Expressions of ER-α and ER-β in ectopic endometrial stroma cell of endometriosis

Objective To discuss the relation between the expressions of ER-α and ER-β in stromal cell of eutopic and ectopic endometrium and the mechanism of development of endometriosis.Methods The levels of ER-α and ER-β in the stromal cell of eutopic and ectopic endometrium were quantified and compared by in vitro cell culture and flow cytometer.Results The expressions of ER-α and ER-β on stromal cell of ectopic endometrium in patients with endometriosis were both obviously lower than those in eutopic endometrium in patients with endometriosis or hysteromyoma.But there were no significant differences between the expressions of the two kinds of ER receptors.Conclusions The result of our study reveals that there are significant differences in expressions of ER-α and ER-β in stomal cells between eutopic and ectopic endometrium of endometriosis.This indicats that ER-β may play a significant role in proliferation and differentiation of endometriosis besides ER-α.The relationship between ER-α and ER-β may be useful for the study of development,growth,the character of clinical biology,treatment and prognosis of endometriosis.