Molecular mechanisms of proliferation in endometrial tumour cells

The human endometrium normally undergoes a cyclic proliferation process fol lowed by differentiation under the influence of ovarian steroids and locall y produced growth and differentiation factors. Understanding of the molecul ar mechanisms involved in controlling these processes is of great interest, since imbalances between proliferation- and differentiation-promoting sign als can have pathophysiological consequences ranging from infertility to en dometrial hyperplasia and tumour formation, The present work reviews aspect s of the role played by oncogenes and ovarian steroid receptors in modulati ng proliferation of endometrial tumour cells, The expression pattern and po ssible roles of protein kinase C (PKC) subunits are discussed in the contex t of response-specificity of endometrial tumour cells to tumour-promoting a gents such as 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol acetate (TPA) and possible implica tions for anti-tumour therapy.