Expression of HLA-G in endometriosis and its significance

AIM: To detect the expression of human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) in eutopic and ectopic endometrium in patients with endometriosis,thereby to determine the role of HLA-G in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. METHODS: The expression of HLA-G protein in 19 eutopic endometria and 30 ectopic endometria of patients with endometriosis was analyzed immunohistochemically by streptavidin-peroxidase (S-P) method. The endometria of 30 patients without endometriosis were studied as controls. RESULTS: Positive rates of HLA-G in eutopic and ectopic endometriotic tissues were significantly higher than that in the normal endometrium (P0.01). In eutopic and ectopic endometrium of endometriosis,the positive rates of HLA-G were 42% and 53%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the positive rate of HLA-G between eutopic and ectopic endometriotic tissues (P0.05). CONCLUSION: The abnormal expression of HLA-G protein in endometriotic tissue may play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.