[Expression of amphiregulin in human endometrium during the menstrual cycle].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of amphiregulin in human endometrium during the menstrual cycle. METHODS: Endometrial tissues were collected from the patients undergoing hysterectomy or endometrial biopsy. Real-time RT-PCR, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression characteristics of amphiregulin in human endometrium in proliferative and secretory phases. RESULTS: Real-time RT-PCR showed the expression of amphiregulin mRNA in secretory phase was 32 times that in proliferative phase. The results from in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry showed that amphiregulin was located in the cytoplasm and mainly expressed in the gland of endometrium. The expressions of amphiregulin mRNA in proliferative and secretory phases were 0.54+/-0.22 and 2.96+/-0.47 (P<0.01), and the expressions of amphiregulin protein in proliferative and secretory phases were 0.77+/-0.47 and 2.60+/-0.43 (P<0.01), respectively. The data demonstrated that the amphiregulin expression was significantly increased in secretory phase, which was consistent with the results from RT-PCR. CONCLUSION: The expression of amphiregulin was increased in the secretory phase of human endometrium, which suggests that amphiregulin may play an important role in human implantation.