Nerve fibers in uterosacral ligaments of women with deep infiltrating endometriosis

A. Kelm, Kelm Junior AR, Adolpho Roberto Kelm Junior, Carmen Lúcia Penteado Lancellotti, Lancellotti CL, Carmen Lucia P Lancellotti, Donadio N, Nilson Donadio, Antonio Pedro F Auge, Antônio Pedro Flores Auge, Auge AP, Sonia Maria Rolim R Lima, Sônia Maria Rolim Rosa Lima, Lima SM, Tsutomu Aoki, Aoki T, Paulo Ayroza Ribeiro
Journal of Reproductive Immunology · 2008 · vol. 79(1) , pp. 93–99 · doi:10.1016/j.jri.2008.08.004 · PMID:18928861 · W2065007724
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This study investigated the presence and characteristics of nerve fibers within the uterosacral ligaments of women diagnosed with deep infiltrating endometriosis.

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Abstract

UNLABELLED: Endometriosis is a disease of high prevalence and enigmatic origin. One aspect not yet clarified is the relationship between endometriosis and nerve tissue. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate, by immunohistochemistry, the presence of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibers in the uterosacral ligament and adjacent connective tissue in women with deep pelvic endometriosis and women without endometriosis. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study (Canadian Task Force II). SETTING: University Hospital. Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Santa Casa Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil. METHODOLOGY: We selected 49 patients, 20 of them with deep endometriosis in the uterosacral ligament and 29 patients without endometriosis. Secondary antibodies to NSE (pan-neuronal marker), NPY (that identifies sympathetic nerve fibers), and VIP (that identifies parasympathetic nerve fibers) were used for the immunohistochemistry analyses. RESULTS: The immunohistochemical staining by the NSE antibody was positive in 40% of cases of women with endometriosis and in 20.7% of patients without endometriosis (non-significant). The immunohistochemical staining by the NPY antibody was positive in 60% of patients with endometriosis and in 20.7% of the control group (p=0.005), while staining by the VIP antibody was 60% in patients with endometriosis and 13.8% in patients without endometriosis (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Immunoexpression of NPY (sympathetic fibers) and VIP (parasympathetic fibers) is higher in women with deep pelvic endometriosis than in women without endometriosis.

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Condition tags

endometriosisdie_deep_infiltrating

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Ligaments Nerve Fibers Adult Adult Cross-Sectional Studies Cross-Sectional Studies Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Female Humans Humans Immunohistochemistry Immunohistochemistry Ligaments Ligaments Nerve Fibers Nerve Fibers

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