Glycodelin expression in the endometrium of healthy women and in the eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with endometriosis

<bold>Objective: </bold>To analyze the expression of the glycodelin gene to better understand the molecular environment of endometriotic lesions and to elucidate the potential mechanisms that underlie the complex physiopathology of endometriosis. <bold>Design: </bold>Prospective laboratory study. <bold>Setting: </bold>University hospital. <bold>Patient(s): </bold>Eleven healthy fertile women and 17 patients with endometriosis in the early proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle. <bold>Intervention(s): </bold>Endometrial biopsy specimens were obtained from the endometrium of healthy women without endometriosis (controls) and from eutopic and ectopic endometrium tissues (pelvic and ovarian endometriotic implants) of endometriosis patients. <bold>Main Outcome Measure(s): </bold>The glycodelin relative expression level by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. <bold>Result(s): </bold>The glycodelin down-regulation found in the endometriotic lesions was 332.26 and 123.17-fold lower, respectively, when compared with the eutopic tissue and the control endometrium. <bold>Conclusion(s): </bold>Glycodelin may be one of the molecules that contributes to the loss of cellular homeostasis in endometriotic lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]