Expression and significance of tumor suppressor gene PTEN in endometriosis

Objective In order to explore whether PTEN is involved in the origenesis and progression of endometriosis and menstrual cycle,we evaluated phosphatase and tension homologue deleted on chromosome 10(PTEN)in endometriosis and normal endometrium.Methods The expression of PTEN in eutopic and ectopic endometrium obtained from endometriosis,including 30 ovarian endometriosis and 15 adenomyosis,was analyzed by immunohistochemical method.40 normal endometrium were taken as controls.Results The expression of PTEN was found at epithelial cell plasma,little was at interstitial cells.PTEN in normal endometrium showed high expression(95%),it in ectopic endometrium was significantly decreased(42.2%),in eutopic endometrium was between them above(64.4%).Either in normal or eutopic endometrium,expression of PTEN in proliferative was significantly lower than in secretory phase.But there is no difference in ectopic endometrium(33.3%vs50.0%,P0.05);The expression of PTEN in ovarian endometriosis was 46.7%,33.3% in adenomyosis.There was no difference(P0.05).The expression of PTEN in endometriosis of Ⅰ-Ⅱstage was significantly higher than of Ⅲ-Ⅳ(64.7% vs 23.1%,P0.05).Conclusion Deletion of PTEN is possibly one of the pathogenesis of endometriosis.PTEN maybe regulates the menstrual cycle.