Increased annexin A2 and decreased β-catenin in adenomyosis contribute to adenomyosis-associated dysmenorrhea.

Increased annexin A2 and decreased β-catenin in adenomyosis contribute to adenomyosis-associated dysmenorrhea Li Xue Liu*, Yin Ga Wu and Jian Zheng* Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Inner Mongolia, Huhhot, China *Co-first author: Li xue Liu, Jian Zheng Offprint requests to: Jian Zheng, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, No.1, Channel North Road, Huimin District, Hohhot City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 010059, China. e-mail: [email protected] Summary. Objective. To investigate the expression of annexin A2 (ANXA2) and β-catenin in eutopic and ectopic endometrium, and their relationships with adenomyosis-associated dysmenorrhea. Methods. From December 2013 to June 2014, ectopic endometrium (n=30) and eutopic endometrium (n=30) of adenomyosis were collected as experimental group, and endometrium (n=30) of uterine myoma as control group from the department of gynecology and obstetrics, the affiliated hospital of Inner Mongolia medical university. The expression of ANXA2 and β-catenin was detected by immunohistochemical S-P method, followed by the Pearson correlations for the correlation analysis of ANXA2 and β-catenin with adenomyosis-associated dysmenorrhea. Meanwhile, the levels of preoperative serum ANXA2 of patients with adenomyosis (n=42) and uterine myoma (n=42) were also measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results. Immunohistochemistry and ELISA identified a higher expression of ANXA2 in eutopic and ectopic endometrium of adenomysis tissues, whereas β-catenin protein was down-regulated. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between ANXA2 expression and dysmenorrhea degree, while there was a negative linear correlation between β-catenin expression and dysmenorrhea degree in ectopic endometrium. Conclusion. These results suggested that increased ANXA2 and less expressed β-catenin were correlated to adenomyosis-associated dysmenorrhea. It may provide a new idea of diagnosis and treatment to adenomyosis-associated dysmenorrhea. Histol Histopathol 32, 1333-1340 (2017) Key words: Annexin A2, β-catenin, Adenomyosis, Dysmenorrhea DOI: 10.14670/HH-11-906