GnRH agonist對子宮內膜細胞造成apoptosis

GnRH agonist可能會對子宮內膜細胞造成apoptosis及抑制子宮內膜細胞增生之作用

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist induces apoptosis and reduces cell proliferation in eutopic endometrial cultures from women with endometriosis

Abstract 

Objective

There is growing evidence that suggests a direct action of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) on endometrial growth. Consequently, our purpose was to evaluate the effect of GnRH-a on in vitro eutopic endometrial cell growth and apoptosis.

Design

Prospective study.

Setting

Research institute and clinical fertility center.

Patient(s)

Sixteen women with untreated endometriosis and 14 controls.

Intervention(s)

Biopsy specimens of eutopic endometrium were obtained from all subjects. Apoptosis and cell proliferation were examined in epithelial endometrial cell cultures after incubation with leuprolide acetate (LA), antide, and a combination of both.

Main outcome measure(s)

The percentage of apoptotic cells was evaluated by the acridine orange–ethidium bromide technique; cell proliferation was assessed by ³H-thymidine incorporation.

Result(s)

Leuprolide acetate (LA) (100 ng/mL) enhanced apoptosis in endometrial cultures from patients with endometriosis and controls, and this effect was reversed by antide 10⁻⁷M. Cell proliferation was down-regulated by LA at 1, 10, and 100 ng/mL in cultures from women without and with endometriosis. The addition of antide 10⁻⁷M reversed this inhibition.

Conclusion(s)

GnRH-a appears to have a direct effect by enhancing the apoptotic index and decreasing the cell proliferation in endometrial cells.