Expression and correlation of miR-141-3p, PD-L1 and macrophages in endometriosis

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of miR-141-31, PD-L1 and M1 and M2 macrophages in endometriosis (EMs). Methods From October 2021 to July 2022, 30 patients with laparoscopic surgery or open surgery for EMs; 30 patients with diagnostic cuttage or total resection for uterine fibroids were selected during the same period, and postoperative pathology confirmed proliferative endometrium. The expression of miR-141-3p and PD-L1 in endometrial tissue was measured by qRT-PCR, the expression of M1 macrophage CD86, M2 macrophage CD206 by immunohistochemistry and the average optical density (AOD) of immunohistochemistry using Image J software. Correlations between miR-141-3p, PD-L1, CD86, and CD206 were analyzed by Person or Spearman correlation analysis. Results (1) The expression of miR-141-3p was lower in the place and ectopic membranes than in the control group (P=0.000 5; P<0.000 1) and the lowest in the ectopic lining. (2) PD-L1 expression was higher in the place and ectopic endometrium in the EMs than in the control endometrium (P=0.013 7;P=0.000 3), and had the highest expression in the ectopic endometrium. (3) miR-141-3p and PD-L1 expression in the ectopic inner membrane of EMs (r=-0.648 9, P=0.000 1). (4) The expression of CD 86 was lower in the site and ectopic lining of the EMs group than in the endometrium of the control group (P= 0.047 2; P=0.001 0). (5) CD206 expression was higher in the place and ectopic endometrium in the EMs than in the control group (P=0.043 4; P<0.000 1), and the expression was highest in the ectopic endometrium. (6) PD-L1 was negatively correlated with the expression of the M1 macrophage marker CD86 in the ectopic inner membrane of EMs (r=- 0.440 8, P=0.014 8). (7) PD-L1 showed a positive correlation between the expression of the M2 type macrophage marker CD206 in the ectopic inner membrane of EMs (r=0.598 1, P=0.000 5). Conclusion miR-141-3p decreased, PD-L1 increased, and macrophages polarized from M1 to M2, which changed with the progression of the disease.