EXPRESSION OF SEX HORMONE-BINDING GLOBULIN EXON-VII SPLICING VARIANT MESSENGER-RIBONUCLEIC-ACID IN HUMAN OVARIAN ENDOMETRIOSIS

Objective: To investigate the expression of sex hormone-binding globul in (SHBG) exon VII splicing variant messenger RNA (mRNA) in human ovar ian endometriosis. Design: The expression of SHBG variant mRNA in norm al uterine endometrium and endometriotic tissue was determined. Settin g: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gifu University Hospital. Patient(s): Fourteen women with endometriosis and 18 women without end ometriosis. Intervention(s): Normal uterine endometria and ovarian end ometriotic tissues from patients who had undergone gynecological surge ry were studied. Main Outcome Measure(s): Levels of SHBG wild-type and variant mRNAs were determined using the quantitative reverse transcri ption-polymerase chain reaction. Result(s): Analysis of the missing ba se pairs proved that they corresponded to the entire exon VII. There w as no significant difference between the levels of SHBG wild-type mRNA in normal endometria and in endometriotic endometria, although the le vels of SHBG variant mRNA in endometriotic endometria were significant ly higher than that in normal endometria. The ratio of SHBG variant to wild-type mRNA levels was significantly higher in endometriotic endom etria than in normal endometria. Conclusion(s): This study demonstrate s the coexpression of SHBG exon VII splicing variant mRNA with its wil d-type and the dominant expression of the variant in ovarian endometri osis. These results might be involved in the cellular estrogenic inter action, plausibly assisting in the development and growth of ovarian e ndometriosis. (C) 1998 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.