Expressions of human β defensin-2 in eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with adenomyosis

Objective To investigate the expression of human β defensin-2(hβD-2)in the eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissue in patients with adenomyosis and in women with normal endometrium.Methods Twenty-five hysteromyoma patients with adenomyosis(AM) and 25 hysteromyoma patients without endometriosis (EMS) were selected and divided into three groups:AM ectopic endometrium group,AM eutopic endometrium group and control group( endometrial tissue in patients with hysteromyoma).The level of mRNA expressions of hβD-2,interleukin-1β ( IL-1β ),interleukin-6 ( IL-6 ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was investigated quantitatively using Real Time PCR (RT-PCR) and the corresponding protein level was detected by immunohistochemistry.Results Comparing the expression of hβD-2,IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α genes among the three groups,there was no significant difference between ectopic endometrium group and eutopic endometrium group and there was also no significant difference between eutopic endometrium group and the control group.( P ＞ 0.05 ).The expression of hβD-2 and IL-1β were 0.0320 (0.0095 ～ 0.0690 ) and 0.0427 ( 0.0038 ～ 0.0975 ) in the ectopic endometrium group,and they were 0.0034(0.0025 ～0.0424) and 0.0080(0.0040 ～0.0251 ) in the control group,respectively.They were both significantly higher in ectopic endometrium group than in the control group (P ＜ 0.05 ).In the ectopic endometrium group hβD-2 expression was positively correlated with the level of TNF-α ( r =0.857,P =0.014 ),and it had no correlation with both IL-1β and IL-6 ( r =0.750,P =0.052 ; r =0.464,P =0.464; respectively)Conclusion HβD-2 might not play an important role in the formation of adenomyosis.It may be related to no significant up-regulation of inflammatory factors in ectopic lesion tissue. Key words: Adenomyosis;  Hysteromyoma;  Human β defensin-2 ;  Ectopic endometrium;  Gene expression