Role of vascular endothelial growth factor in the pathogenesis of endometriosis

Objective Immunohistochemical study and image analysis were used to study the role of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Methods Revealed that immunostaining intensity of VEGF in eutopic endometrial epithelial cells of normal cycling women and patients with endometriosis was cycle-dependent. Results The content of VEGF was considerablely higher in the secretory phase compared with that in the proliferative phase(P0.05). In the proliferative phase, the intensity of VEGF expression in eutopic endometrial epithelial cells of endometriosis showed no difference, when compared with that of normal endometrium. In the secretory phase, the expression of VEGF in eutopic endometrial epithelial cells of endometriosis was significantly higher, when compared with that of normal endometrium(P0.01). Eutopic endometrium of endometriosis showed a higher VEGF expression than ectopic endometrium of ovarian endometriosis did(P0.01). Conclusion Abnormal expression of VEGF might play a significant role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.