Analysis of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in different sites of endometriosis and correlation with clinico-pathological parameters

Hum Reprod. 2004 Feb;19(2):393-7. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deh054.

Abstract

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated the overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in endometriosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of COX-2 in different anatomical sites of endometriosis and its association with clinico-pathological parameters in a single institutional series of patients undergoing operative treatment.

Methods: COX-2 expression was analysed by immunohistochemistry in 136 samples of endometriotic tissue from 103 patients affected by endometriosis.

Results: COX-2 immunoreaction was observed in 78.5% of ovarian endometriotic cysts, in 11.1% of peritoneal implants and 13.3% of recto-vaginal nodules. COX-2 positivity was not distributed differently according to age, pre-operative serum levels of CA125 and AFS score. Moreover, COX-2 positivity did not show any significant variation according to the subjective intensity of pain, as dysmenorrhoea, chronic pelvic pain, lower urinary tract or gastrointestinal symptoms, or according to infertility.

Conclusions: Increased COX-2 expression in the endometriotic ovarian cyst wall was observed with respect to other extraovarian localizations. No relevant correlations between COX-2 positivity and clinico-pathological characteristics and symptoms of patients were observed.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • CA-125 Antigen / blood
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • Endometriosis / enzymology*
  • Endometriosis / pathology*
  • Endometriosis / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Isoenzymes / analysis*
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Ovarian Cysts / enzymology
  • Ovarian Cysts / pathology
  • Peritoneum / enzymology
  • Peritoneum / pathology
  • Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / analysis*
  • Rectum / enzymology
  • Rectum / pathology
  • Vagina / enzymology
  • Vagina / pathology

Substances

  • CA-125 Antigen
  • Isoenzymes
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • PTGS2 protein, human
  • Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases