Receptor activity of the eutopic and ectopic endometrium to estrogen and progesterone markers in case of adenomyosis available during postmenopause

Abstract

Objective of the study is to determine ER, PR and AR activity of eutopic and ectopic endometrium in case of adenomyosis available during post-menopause. Materials and methods. 30 cases of adenomyosis have been examined in case of hyperplastic processes in the endometrium and without them in patients aged from 51 to 73 years. Immunohistological examination has been conducted with the purpose to determine the state of receptor apparatus to ER, PR and AR markers. Immunohistological examinations conducted in ectopic foci determined a high mean score of the spread of ER staining of the glandular cells in case of endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the uterus (EACU) and endometrial hyperplasia (EHP) and the stromal cells in the group with EHP. A high mean index of intensity and spread of ER staining of the eutopic endometrium glandular component was found in all the groups. Considerable differences between mean indices of intensity and spread of ER staining of the glandular and stromal cells in adenomyosis foci both between the groups themselves and the examined components are absent (р>0,05). An increased level of PR activity was detected respectively to the improvement of differentiation degree of the eutopic endometrium epithelial cells. The comparison of the results of PR activity of the stromal cells and glands of the europic and ectopic endometrium did not find any deviations between the examined indices (р>0,05). Comparison of the degree of AR expression did not find differences between the groups (р>0,05). Conclusions. Adenomyosis during post-menopause period is characterized by prevailed expression level of ER glandular component of the eutopic endometrium over the endometrium in adenomyosis foci in case of EACU and endometrium atrophy available. Increase of ER and PR expression levels occurs respectively to the increase of cellular differentiation degree. Considerable differences by the indices of intensity and staining of PR of the glandular and stromal cells in adenomyosis foci were not found both between the groups themselves and the examined components. Considerable differences by AR expression levels in the eutopic and ectopic endometrium were not found as well. Prospects of further studies: to carry out the analysis of ER, PR and AR expression levels in the ovaries in case adenomyosis available.