Human β defensin-2 expression of ectopic and eutopic endometrium in patients with endometriosis and adenomyosis

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of human β defensin2 (hBD2) in eutopic and ectopic endometrium in patients with ovarian endometriosis (EMS) or adenomyosis (AM).Methods Seventy- five females with ovarian ectopic EMS (n=25),AM (n=25) and non- EMS (hysteromyoma,n=25) in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between February 2007 and April 2008 were enrolled in the study.The ovarian ectopic cyst wall (ectopic EMS group),AM ectopic tissue (ectopic AM group),EMS eutopic tissue (eutopic EMS group),AM eutopic tissue (eutopic AM group) and non-EMS endometrium (control group) were obtained for quantitative analysis of hBD-2,IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α expression as well as their correlations using real-time PCR (RT- PCR) and in situ hybridization.Results Higher expression levels of HBD-2,IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α genes were detected in ectopic EMS group as compared with those in eutopic EMS group and control group (M 0.3684 vs 0.0343 and 0.0034,M 0.1011 vs 0.0295 and 0.0080,M0.0040 vs 0.0008 and 0.0005,M0.0026 vs 0.0005 and 0.0002,all P＜0.05).In contrast,no significant difference(P＞0.05) was found in between-group comparison of eutopic EMS groupcontrol group,ectopic AM group-eutopic AM group,and eutopic AM group-control group.In ectopic EMS group,hBD-2 expression was positively correlated with IL-1β and TNF-α expression levels (r=0.867 and 0.683,respectively,both P＜0.05),but was not correlated with IL-6 expression level (r=0.167,P＞0.05).Conclusion High hBD-2 expression in EMS ectopic endometrium may play a role in the formation of EMS and may be associated with up-regulation of IL-1β and TNF-α in vivo. Key words: Defensin; Endometriosis; Ovarian; Adenomyosis; Gene expression