Correlation Of Cyclooxygenase-2 And Aromatase Expression In Endometrial Hyperplasia And Endometrial Carcinoma

Objective To study the significance and correlation of cyclooxygenase-2 andaromatase expression in simple and complex endometrial hyperplasia, atypicalhyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma.Methods Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and aromatase protein was detectedwith immunohistochemistry (IHC) method in 94 cases including 10 normal controls, 29cases with endometrial hyperplasia, 17 cases with atypical hyperplasia and 38 cases withendometrial carcinoma. The levels of cyclooxygenase-2 and aromatase mRNA expressionwere measured with reverse transcription-polymerase reaction (RT-PCR) method in these94 cases.Results 1.Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 proteins in endometrial hyperplasia,atypical hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma had significant difference comparingwith the controls (x~2=5.283—14.928, P＜0.05). Expression of aromatase proteins inendometrial carcinoma had significant difference comparing with the controls(x~2=9.023, P＜0.01), but expression of aromatase proteins in endometrial hyperplasiaand atypical hyperplasia had no significant difference comparing with the controls(P＞0.05). The rates of expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and aromatase proteins did notincrease with the progress of clinical stage or cellular differentiation in endometrialcarcinoma group.2. Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and aromatase mRNA in endometrial hyperplasia,atypical hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma had significant difference comparingwith the controls (P＜0.01),and we found increased trend. The rates of expression ofcyclooxygenase-2 and aromatase mRNA did not increase with the progress of clinicalstage or cellular differentiation in endometrial carcinoma group.3. Cyclooxygenase-2 proteins expression correlated positively with aromataseproteins expression (r=0.598, P＜0.01). Using a bivariate linear regression analysis, wealso found a linear association (R=0.691, P＜0.01) between the expression ofcyclooxygenase-2 and aromatase mRNA. Conclusion Cyclooxygenase-2 and aromatase are positively expressed inendometrial hyperplasia,atypical hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma. There is alinear association between the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and aromatase mRNA inendometrial diseases, suggesting cyclooxygenase-2 and aromatase may play an importantrole in the tumorigenesis and development of endometrial carcinoma, andcyclooxygenase-2 and aromatase inhibitors have potential as therapeutic and possiblychemopreventive agents for endometrial cancers.