Prokineticin 1 mRNA expression in the endometrium of healthy women and in the eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis

OBJECTIVE: To examine prokineticin 1 (PROK1) mRNA expression in eutopic endometrial glands obtained from patients with or without endometriosis, to investigate the presence of additional endometrial abnormalities in women with endometriosis. DESIGN: Prospective laboratory study. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS: Twelve control women and 12 patients affected by endometriosis in the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle. INTERVENTION(S): Endometrial specimens were obtained from women affected (cases) or not (control group) by endometriosis. Endometrial glands were freshly isolated from endometrial biopsies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): PROK1 mRNA expression levels by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. RESULTS: PROK1 mRNA was detectable in 4 of 12 (33%) samples obtained from women affected by endometriosis, whereas 10 of 12 (83%) samples obtained from normal women were positive for PROK1 detection by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Moreover, detectable PROK1 mRNA levels were 10 times lower in samples obtained from women with endometriosis than in samples obtained from control women. CONCLUSION(S): PROK1 is a newly discovered angiogenic factor implicated in the vascular function of peri-implantation endometrium and early pregnancy. An altered expression of PROK1 could be one of the several biochemical abnormalities characterizing eutopic endometrium in endometriosis.