Analysis of cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) expression in different sites of endometriosis and correlation with clinico‐pathological parameters

• Published in: Human reproduction (Oxford) 2004-02, Vol.19 (2), p.393-397
• Main Authors: Fagotti, Anna, Ferrandina, Gabriella, Fanfani, Francesco, Legge, Francesco, Lauriola, Libero, Gessi, Marco, Castelli, Paola, Barbieri, Fabrizio, Minelli, Luca, Scambia, Giovanni
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; CA-125 Antigen - blood; clinico‐pathological characteristics/COX‐2/endometriosis; Cyclooxygenase 2; Embryology: invertebrates and vertebrates. Teratology; Endometriosis; Endometriosis - enzymology; Endometriosis - pathology; Endometriosis - surgery; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Isoenzymes - analysis; Membrane Proteins; Ovarian Cysts - enzymology; Ovarian Cysts - pathology; Peritoneum - enzymology; Peritoneum - pathology; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases - analysis; Rectum - enzymology; Rectum - pathology; Vagina - enzymology; Vagina - pathology
• ISSN: 0268-1161; 1460-2350; 1460-2350
• DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deh054

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated the overexpression of cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) in endometriosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of COX‐2 in different anatomical sites of endometriosis and its association with clinico‐pathological parameters in a single institutional series of patients undergoing operative treatment. METHODS: COX‐2 expression was analysed by immunohistochemistry in 136 samples of endometriotic tissue from 103 patients affected by endometriosis. RESULTS: COX‐2 immunoreaction was observed in 78.5% of ovarian endometriotic cysts, in 11.1% of peritoneal implants and 13.3% of recto‐vaginal nodules. COX‐2 positivity was not distributed differently according to age, pre‐operative serum levels of CA125 and AFS score. Moreover, COX‐2 positivity did not show any significant variation according to the subjective intensity of pain, as dysmenorrhoea, chronic pelvic pain, lower urinary tract or gastrointestinal symptoms, or according to infertility. CONCLUSIONS: Increased COX‐2 expression in the endometriotic ovarian cyst wall was observed with respect to other extraovarian localizations. No relevant correlations between COX‐2 positivity and clinico‐pathological characteristics and symptoms of patients were observed.