Vitamin D Receptor And Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression In Uterine Leiomyoma Tissues And Their Correlation

ObjectiveIn this study we investigated vitamin D receptor(VDR)and cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2)expression in uterine fibroids and their adjacent normal myometrium tissues,analyzed their correlation and further explored their role in the etiopathogenesis of uterine leiomyomas.Methods1.Selected 20 cases with the diagnosis of uterine fibroid,which were performed hysterectomy or myomectomy in the department of gynecology and obstetrics of China-Japan Friendship Hospital during July,2017 to October,2017.Post the operations the histopathologic results of the patients were leiomyoma of uterus.The criteria for inclusion in this research were as follows:the female patients were not menopause,none of them had received any hormone drug,vitamin D or vitamin D analog therapy for at least 3 months before the operation.Written informed consent was obtained from all the patients before the study began.The size of uterine fibroids was determined by transvaginal ultrasound or scale during the surgery.2.We collected uterine leiomyoma tissues and their paired adjacent normal myometrium tissues from 20 cases of uterine leiomyomas.Tissue specimens were about 1 cm × 1 cm×1 cm,taken from the nucleus of intramural leiomyomas and adjacent normal myometrium tissues.Normal myometrium tissues were harvested at least 1 cm far from the leiomyomas.3.Utilized quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to determine the expression of VDR and COX-2 mRNA in uterine fibroids and their adjacent normal myometrium tissues.And the protein level of VDR and COX-2 in the tissues were also determined by Western Blotting.4.The expression of VDR and COX-2 in the tissues were compared,and further analyzed their correlation.5.At last analyzed the correlation between VDR expression,COX-2 expression and the size of uterine fibroids.Results1.The expression of VDR mRNA in 15 of 20 uterine leiomyoma tissues decreased compared with the healthy uterine smooth muscle tissues(P<0.05).The expression of COX-2 mRNA in 13 of 20 uterine leiomyoma tissues was significantly higher than that in the healthy uterine smooth muscle tissues(P<0.05).The Western blotting results also showed that VDR expression decreased and COX-2 expression increased in uterine leiomyoma tissues compared with the expression in healthy uterine smooth muscle tissues.2.There were 11 cases with VDR expression decreased and COX-2 expression increased in uterine leiomyoma tissues.And there was a negative correlation between VDR and COX-2 expression in the 11 cases(r =-0.628,P<0.05 for transcriptional level;r =-0.612,P<0.05 for protein level).However,there was not significant correlation between VDR and COX-2 expression in the total specimen(r =-0.209,P>0.05 for transcriptional level;r =-0.165,P>0.05 for protein level).3.There was not significant correlation between VDR expression and uterine leiomyoma size,as well as between COX-2 expression and uterine leiomyoma size(r =-0.008,P>0.05;r = 0.150,P>0.05,respectively).ConclusionsVDR expression decreased and COX-2 expression increased in uterine leiomyomas compared with the healthy uterine smooth muscles.Decreased VDR expression and high COX-2 expression may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of uterine leiomyomas.There may be an negative relevance between VDR and COX-2 in leiomyomas.