Open AccessExpression of oxytocin receptors in the uterine junctional zone in women with adenomyosis
Author(s) -
Zhang Ying,
Yu Pei,
Sun Fujing,
Li Tin Chiu,
Cheng Jiu mei,
Duan Hua
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.1111/aogs.12595
Subject(s) - adenomyosis , oxytocin receptor , oxytocin , medicine , fundus (uterus) , receptor , immunohistochemistry , uterus , endocrinology , receptor expression , andrology , surgery
Objective To compare the expression of oxytocin receptor in the uterine junctional zone of the fundus and isthmus in the proliferative and secretory phases in women with and without adenomyosis. Design Experimental prospective clinical study. Setting Tertiary gynecologic medical center. Population Twenty‐nine women with adenomyosis (15 in proliferative phase, 14 in secretory phase) and 27 women without adenomyosis (15 in proliferative phase, 12 in secretory phase). Methods Samples from the uterine fundus and isthmus were obtained at hysterectomy. The expression of oxytocin receptor was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Main outcome measures Immuno‐reactive score was used evaluate semi‐quantitatively the oxytocin receptor expression. Results In normal uteri, the expression of oxytocin receptor in the isthmus was significantly higher than in the fundus in the proliferative phase ( p < 0.01) but the opposite distribution pattern was observed in the secretory phase. Conversely, in adenomyosis uteri, the expression of oxytocin receptor in the fundus was significantly higher than in the isthmus in the proliferative phase ( p < 0.05); however, this difference was not significant in the secretory phase. Moreover, oxytocin receptor expression in the fundus of adenomyosis uteri was higher than that in the control uteri in both the proliferative and secretory phases. Conclusions The expression pattern of oxytocin receptor in the normal junctional zone is disrupted in women with adenomyosis. This may be one possible explanation for the symptomatology of the condition.