Effect of methylation in 5'CpG island of the promoter region of HOXA10 gene on patients with endometriosis

Objective To investigate the methylation status of 5'CpG island of the promoter region of HOXA10 gene,and to explore the pathogenic role of the methylation status on endometriosis.Methods Thirty patients with endometriosis,who were admitted to Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University from Sep.2007 to May 2008,and 25 healthy women were involved in present study.Of the 30 patients with endometriosis,10 were in stages Ⅰ-Ⅱ,and 20 in stages Ⅲ-Ⅳ.The specimens of endometrial tissue were collected from 30 patients with endometriosis and 25 healthy women,and the methylation status in 5'CpG island of HOXA10 gene promoter region was detected by using methylation-specific PCR technique(MSP).Results Different methylation levels in 5'CpG island in promoter region of HOXA10 gene were detected from the patients in different clinical stage of endometriosis.Methylation in 5'CpG island of the promoter region of HOXA10 gene was observed in 11 of 20(55%) patients in endometriosis stages Ⅲ-Ⅳ,and 1 of 10(10%) patients in endometriosis stages Ⅰ-Ⅱ.The methylation level in 5'CpG island of the promoter region of HOXA10 gene of the patients in endometriosis stages Ⅲ-Ⅳ was higher than that of the patients in endometriosis stages Ⅰ-Ⅱ(P0.05).However,no methylation was found in the endometrial tissue of 25 healthy women.Conclusion The methylation in 5'CpG island of the promoter region of HOXA10 gene may play an important role in the pathogenesis and development of endometriosis.