Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2002 Mar;45(3):391-398.

Expression of estrogen receptor (ER)alpha, ERbeta and insulin-like growth factor binding protein related peptide-1 messenger ribonucleic acid in uterine leiomyoma and normal myometrium

• Lim KS
• Kim JG

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a possible involvement of estrogen receptor (ER)alpha, ER beta and insulin-like growth factor binding protein related peptide-1 (IGFBPrp-1) in the growth of leiomyoma.
METHODS
The relative expressions of ER alpha, ER beta and IGFBPrp-1 mRNA were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in total RNA extracted from the paired specimens of leiomyoma and adjacent myometrium from untreated patients (n=25) and from leiomyoma specimens from patients (n=10) pretreated with gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa)-pretreated for 3 months.
RESULTS
There were no significant differences in ER alpha, ER beta mRNA expression and ER alpha/ ER beta mRNA ratio between adjacent myometrium and leiomyoma, but IGFBPrp-1 mRNA expression was significantly lower in leiomyoma than in adjacent myometrium from untreated patients. No differences in ER alpha, ER beta mRNA expressions and its ratio between leiomyoma from GnRHa-pretreated patients and leiomyoma from untreated patients. Leiomyoma from GnRHa-pretreated patients had IGFBPrp-1 mRNA expresion similar to adjacent myometrium from untreated patients and higher than large myoma (more than 150 cm3 in volume) from untreated patients. No correlations among ER alpha, ER beta mRNA expression, its ratio and IGFBPrp-1 mRNA expression were found.
CONCLUSIONS
IGFBPrp-1 may be involved in the growth of uterine leiomyoma but ER may not.

Keyword

Leiomyoma; ER; IGFBPrp-1; mRNA; GnRHa

MeSH Terms

Animals
Carrier Proteins*
Estrogen Receptor beta*
Estrogens*
Female
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
Humans
Leiomyoma*
Mice
Myoma
Myometrium*
RNA*
RNA, Messenger
Carrier Proteins
Estrogen Receptor beta
Estrogens
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
RNA
RNA, Messenger