QUANTIFICATION OF MESSENGER-RIBONUCLEIC-ACID FOR EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR IN HUMAN MYOMETRIUM AND LEIOMYOMATA USING REVERSE-TRANSCRIPTASE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) mRNA was quantified in samples of human myometrium, untreated leiomyomata, and leiomyomata from patients treat ed with a GnRH analog. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase c hain reaction, using a synthetic internal standard, was applied to det ermine levels of EGF mRNA. In myometrium from uteri with no leiomyomat a, levels of EGF mRNA did not differ between the proliferative and sec retory phase of the cycle. Leiomyomata from women who had received no drug therapy had significantly higher amounts of EGF mRNA than myometr ium from a normal uterus, but only in the secretory phase of the cycle . In the proliferative phase, leiomyomata did not have different amoun ts of EGF mRNA compared to normal myometrium. Untreated leiomyomata in the secretory phase of the cycle, but not those in the proliferative phase, had significantly more EGF mRNA than leiomyomata from women who had received treatment with a GnRH analog. These findings suggest tha t EGF is important in leiomyomata development, but imply that its prod uction is only increased during the secretory phase of the cycle. This challenges the hypothesis that EGF production in leiomyomata is media ted by estrogen and raises the possibility that progesterone may be th e more important hormone in fibroid growth.