TITLE:
Nerve Fibres Detection in Paired Eutopic and Ectopic Endometria from Women with Endometriosis: Correlation with Nerve Growth Factor Expression
AUTHORS:
Sebastián Venegas, Edward Parada, M. Angélica Boric, Hugo Sovino, Ariel Fuentes, Fernando Gabler, Reinaldo González-Ramos, M. Cecilia Johnson
KEYWORDS:
NGF, Nerves Fibres, Eutopic Endometrium, Ectopic Endometrium, Endometriosis
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.5 No.7,
July
29,
2015
ABSTRACT: Endometriosis, disorder characterized by the presence of endometrium outside
the uterus cavity, is associated with chronic pelvic pain. Nerve growth factor (NGF)
participates in development, repair and survival of neurons. We evaluated NGF and
nerve fibres in eutopic and ectopic endometria from women with endometriosis and
in normal endometrium from control patients without endometriosis. In endometrium
collected during surgery for endometriosis (paired eutopic and ectopic endometria,
proliferative n = 6 and secretory n = 7 phases) or during tubal ligation or hysterectomy
for no endometrial disease (control, proliferative n = 6 and secretory n = 6 phases),
NGF and neurofilament (NF) of nerve fibres were studied by immunohistochemistry
measuring integrated optical density (IOD). Cytoplasmic NGF was detected in glands
and stroma in all control, eutopic and ectopic endometrial samples; no statistical
differences were found throughout the menstrual cycle. However, total (gland plus
stroma) NGF IOD was higher in eutopic than in ectopic endometria during the secretory
phase. NF was detected only in ectopic endometrium being eutopic and control endometria
negative to this antibody, and no differences were observed between proliferative
and secretory phases. Negative and significant correlation was found between NGF
and NF expression in ectopic endometria only during the secretory phase. In conclusion, our results show a significant negative correlation between
NGF and myelinated nerve fibres in secretory ectopic endometria. NGF expression
was not significantly modified throughout the menstrual cycle in control and in
endometriosis, even higher in eutopic than
in ectopic tissues; the NGF secretion from lesions to pelvic cavity cannot be ruled
out, and could explain the negative correlation observed. Although NF and NGF are not useful as diagnostic markers for endometriosis, their expression
may be related to endometrial physiology and pathophysiology of the disease.