Overexpression of Four Joint Box-I Protein (FJXI) in Eutopic Endometrium From Women With Endometriosis

The four jointed box I (FJXI) is a regulator of angiogenesis, and the levels of FJXI are increased in several types of cancer. Angiogenesis plays a critical role in endometrial growth as well as in several gynecologic disorders including endometriosis. However, the function of FJXI has not been studied in endometriosis. Therefore, we examined the levels of FJXI in eutopic endometrium from women with or without endometriosis. The levels of FJXI protein did not change in endometrial cells during the menstrual cycle in endometrium from women without endometriosis. However, its levels were significantly higher in the secretory phase of the eutopic endometrium from women with endometriosis when compared to women without endometriosis. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 a (HIF 1 α) is known as a key mediator of endometriosis by regulating genes essential to estrogen production, angiogenesis, proliferation, inflammation, and extracellular invasion. It has been reported that FJXI induces an increase in HIF 1 α through posttranslational stabilization. The results of our Western blot analysis reveal a significant positive correlation between FJXI and HIF 1 α proteins in endometrium of women with and without endometriosis. This overexpression of FJXI was confirmed by sequential analysis of the eutopic endometrium during endometriosis progression, using an induced model of endometriosis in the baboon. Therefore, our results suggest that high levels of FJXI proteins may play an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Similar content being viewed by others

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