G. Loverro et al., Transforming growth factor-beta 1 and insulin-like growth factor-1 expression in ovarian endometriotic cysts: A preliminary study, INT J MOL M, 7(4), 2001, pp. 423-429
Increased concentrations of TGF-beta1 in endometriotic tissue are considere
d important in the pathophysiology of endometrial diseases since TGF-beta1
may inhibit natural killer activity and induce angiogenesis and proliferati
on of endometrial stromal cells. In the present study we report on TGF-beta
1, IGF-I and their receptor localization, as detected by Northern hybridiza
tion and immunohistochemistry, in ovarian endometriotic tissues removed dur
ing surgical procedures. We detected comparable expression of IGF-1 and IGF
-1 receptor in the stromal and epithelial compartments, thus confirming dis
regulated expression of the IGF system in ovarian endometriosis. On the con
trary, strongly increased TGF-beta1 steady state level mRNA expression was
detected in all endometriotic samples. In addition, we demonstrated weak TG
F-beta1 immunohistochemical expression in the epithelial lining and intense
expression in the cellular stroma of ovarian endometriomas, thus suggestin
g that TGF-beta1 could have an important role in the maintenance and propag
ation of the disease. On the basis of these preliminary results we can assu
me that TGF-beta1, IGF-1 and their receptors may play an important role in
the pathogenesis of endometriosis.