The expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor and angiostatin in ectopic and eutopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis

Objective To investigate the expressions and significance of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and angiostatin(AGN) in ectopic and eutopic endometrium.Methods VEGF and AGN were immunohistochemically detected in ectopic and eutopic endometrium from 28 patients with endometriosis and in normal endometrium from 22 controls.Results The positive rates of VEGF expression in ectopic and eutopic proliferative endometrium(87.5%,56.3%) from EMs patients were higher than those from the controls(46.7%).Also,the positive rates of VEGF expression in ectopic and eutopic secretory endometrium(83.3%,75%) were higher in EMs patients than in the controls(42.9%).The differences were both significant(P0.05).Similarly,the positive rates of AGN expression in eutopic and ectopic proliferative endometrium(37.5%,56.3%) from EMs patients were significantly higher than those from the controls(33.3%).The positive rates of AGN expression in eutopic and ectopic secretory endometrium(58.3%,75%) were significantly higher in EMs patients than in the controls(28.6%)(P0.05).Conclusion The high expressions of VEGF and AGN in EMs tissues may be one of the mechanisms of endometriosis development.