ASSESSMENT OF ESTROGEN-RECEPTOR DISTRIBUTION IN HUMAN ENDOMETRIUM BY DIRECT IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE

Objective, To use a direct immunofluorescence technique employing a fl uorescein labeled anti-idiotypic antibody that recognizes the estrogen receptor (ER) order to assess the distribution of ER in the uteri of normal women throughout the normal menstrual cycle and of a woman expo sed prenatally to diethylstilbestrol (DES). Subjects. Included in the study were 25 women aged between 35 and 50 years and an amenorrheic pa tient diagnosed as ''DES Syndrome'', Localization. Localization of ER expression in frozen sections of uterine tissue was achieved by direct immunofluorescence using a fluorescein labeled anti-idiotypic antibod y that interacts with ER. Results, Analysis of the immunofluorescence staining indicated that in the normal human endometrium the intensity of ER staining varied according to the phase of the cycle as well as a ccording to the cell type, On the other hand, endometrial ER evaluatio n of the patient with DES syndrome showed minimal expression of ER and after treatment with conjugated estrogens, endometrial biopsy reveale d a significant increase in ER expression. Conclusions. These findings indicate that the fluorescein labeled anti-idiotypic antibody can be used to detect ER in normal and pathological human endometrium and to monitor changes in ER expression in the endometrium during hormonal th erapy