S100A4 expression in the eutopic and ectopic endometria from women with and without endometriosis

【Objective】To investigate S100A4 in the pathogenesis of endometriosis by comparing the expression levels of S100A4 in the eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissue from women with and without endometriosis.【Methods】RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to study the expression of S100A4 in the ectopic endometria (n=42) and in the eutopic endometria (n =22) from women with endometriosis and in the normal endometria (n=33). 【Results】The expression levels of S100A4 in ectopic endometria was significantly higher than that in the eutopic endometria from women with and without endometriosis (P 0.05). No significant difference was found between the mRNA expression levels of S100A4 in the eutopic endometria from women with and without endometriosis (P0.05). S100A4 protein was found localized in the cytoplasm of glandular epithelial cells, endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells and stromal cells in all the three endometrial tissue. The expression level of S100A4 protein in the ectopic endometria was significantly higher than that in the eutopic endometria from women with and without endometriosis (P 0.05). No significant difference was found between the expression level of S100A4 protein in the eutopic endometria from women with and without endometriosis (P 0.05).【Conclusion】The higher expression level of S100A4 may be involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.