Role of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in the pathogenesis of endometriosis

Objective To study the role of intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.Methods ICAM-1 in normal endometria, eutopic and ectopic endometria from patients with ovarian endometriosis were examined by means of immunohistochemical study and image analysis.Results (1) The expression of ICAM-1 was detected in eutopic endometrial epithelial cells of normal cycling women and patients with endometriosis, and it showed no variation throughout the menstrual cycle. When compared with that of normal endometrium in the same phase, the expression of ICAM-1 in eutopic endometrial epithelial cells of endometriosis was significantly higher. (2) The epithelial cells of endometriotic endometrium showed a significant higher ICAM-1 expression than eutopic endometrium of endometriotic patients did.Conclusion The abnormal expression of ICAM-1 in eutopic and ectopic emdometrial epithelial cells of endometriosis might play a significant role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.