Immunohistochemical analysis of insulin‐like growth factor I, insulin‐like growth factor I receptor and insulin‐like growth factor II in endometriotic tissue and endometrium

Background . The purpose of this study was to investigate unprecedentedly immunohistochemical localization of insulin‐like growth factor I, insulin‐like growth factor I receptor and insulin‐like growth factor II in endometriotic tissue, and to compare staining intensity with that of endometrium obtained simultaneously. Methods . Endometriotic and corresponding endometrial tissue samples were obtained during operative laparoscopy from eighteen infertile patients for the problem of infertility. Semiquantitative scoring was used for analysis of results. Results . It was demonstrated that insulin‐like growth factor I and insulin‐like growth factor I receptor were present in both endometriotic and endometrial tissues. In contrast, there was little insulin‐like growth factor II present in either ectopic or eutopic endometrial tissue. For insulin‐like growth factor I and insulin‐like growth factor I receptor, the immunostaining score was similar between ectopic and eutopic endometrial tissues. There was no significant difference in immunostaining score between glandular epithelium and stromal cells. Conclusions , insulin‐like growth factor I and insulin‐like growth factor I receptor could be demonstrated immunohistochemically in both endometriotic and endometrial tissues.