Increased concentrations of cathepsin D in peritoneal fluid from women with endometriosis

Suzumori N, Nobuhiro Suzumori, N Suzumori, Yasuhiko Ozaki, Ozaki Y, Y Ozaki, Ogasawara M, Mayumi Ogasawara, M Ogasawara, Suzumori K, Kaoru Suzumori, K Suzumori
Molecular human reproduction · 2001 · vol. 7(5) , pp. 459–462 · doi:10.1093/molehr/7.5.459 · PMID:11331669 · W2166447347
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Cathepsin D concentrations were significantly higher in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis compared to controls, particularly in advanced stages and without GnRH agonist therapy.

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Abstract

To assess the release of the proteolytic enzyme cathepsin D in endometriosis, concentrations in peritoneal fluid and serum were measured by ELISA in 54 women with (n = 33) and without (n = 21) endometriosis. Surgery was scheduled in either the proliferative or secretory phase of the menstrual cycle. The concentrations of cathepsin D in the peritoneal fluid were markedly elevated in the endometriosis patients (median 58 ng/ml, interquartile range 0-166 ng/ml) as compared to the controls (5 ng/ml, 0-86 ng/ml), especially in women with late stage disease (n = 19, stages III/IV) and in those not undergoing gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist therapy (n = 15). No significant difference was determined in cathepsin D concentrations of the serum from women with and without endometriosis. We conclude that cathepsin D is an important factor that may contribute to the pathogenesis of endometriosis, possibly by promoting digestion of extracellular matrix proteins. These results have implications for the therapeutic efficacy of GnRH agonists.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Ascitic Fluid Cathepsin D Endometriosis Adult Ascitic Fluid Cathepsin D Cathepsin D Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Middle Aged

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

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