Expression of P450c17 messenger ribonucleic acid in postmenopausal human ovary tissues

Objective: To investigate the expression of the P450c17 gene in postmenopau sal human ovaries compared with normal cycling ovaries. Design: Prospective nonrandomized clinical research study. Setting: Servei de Medicina Reproductiva and Centre d'Investigacions en Bio quimica i Biologia Molecular, Hospitals Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain. Patient(s): Six premenopausal women and four postmenopausal women undergoin g bilateral oophorectomy for nonovarian gynecologic disease. Intervention(s): Extraction of 10 mL of peripheral venous blood for hormone measurements. Extraction of RNA from surgically removed ovaries for Northe rn blot, ribonuclease protection, and reverse transcriptase polymerase chai n reaction Southern blot assays. Main Outcome Measure(s): Definition of the reproductive cycle state of each patient and determination of the level of P450c17 gene expression in all s amples with the use of the semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymeras e chain reaction Southern blot assay. Result(s): P450c17 messenger RNA levels in postmenopausal ovaries varied co nsiderably between samples. Although the levels were similar to those detec ted in the early follicular phase. one of the samples had levels as high as those observed in the late follicular phase. Conclusion(s): Although the degree Varied from one sample to another, all t he postmenopausal ovaries studied expressed the P450c17 gene at the messeng er RNA level. In a sample from a patient with endometrial adenocarcinoma. t he level was as high as the levels observed in che lute follicular phase. ( Fertil Steril(R) 1999; 71:528-35. (C) 1999 by American Society Reproductive Medicine.)