The Expression Of PLK4 And Its Significance In Endometriosis

BackgroundEndometriosis(EMs)is one of benign gynecological diseases in women of reproductive age.10%～15%of all women of reproductive age are affected by EMs.Although EMs is a benign disease,it has some malignant biological behaviors like tumor,such as invasion,proliferation,recurrence and metastasis etc.Previous studies have demonstrated that the 0.7%-1.6%of EMs may develop to be a malignant one.Polo-like kinase 4(PLK4)is one of the key regulators involved in centrosome duplication and its abnormal expression often change the amount of centriole and structure of centrosome,which have close correlation with the occurrence and development of tumor.We try to examine the expression of PLK4 in both normal and ectopic endometria samples,so as to analyze the significance of PLK4 in EMs.ObjectiveTo analyze the significance of PLK4 in EMs by comparing the expression of PLK4 in endometriotic samples with normal endometrial ones.Methods:The 37 ectopic endometria samples(study group)and 32 normal endometria samples(control group)were collected from May.2013 to Jan.2014 in Women’s Hospital,School of Medicine,Zhejiang University.The expressions of PLK4 were examined by Immunohistochemistry(IHC),Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(Real-time qPCR),and Western Blot(WB),respectively,then analyzed statistically.Results:1.In the IHC study,PLK4 showed lower expression in normal endometrial glandular epithelial cells,which scored 1.39±0.38(weakly positive);and higher expression in ectopic endometrial glandular epithelial cells,which scored 6.41±0.86(strong positive).The expression of PLK4 in ectopic endometria samples was significantly higher than that in normal endometria samples,the difference was statistically significant(t=30.423,P<0.01).2.In the Real-time qPCR study,the expression of PLK4 mRNA was detected in both samples,and the relative transcript level of PLK4 mRNA in ectopic endometria samples was significantly higher than that in normal endometria samples(11.90±5.74 vs.2.27±1.20),the difference was statistically significant(t=8.995,P<0.01).3.In the Western Blot study,PLK4 protein was detected in both samples.However,the expression of PLK4 protein in ectopic endometria samples was significantly higher than that in normal endometria samples(1.97±0.35 vs.0.78±0.10),the difference was statistically significant(t=18.472,P<0.01).Conclusions:1.Expression of PLK4 protein and mRNA in ectopic endometria samples was significantly higher than that in normal endometria samples.2.Elevated expression of PLK4 may be relevant to the development of endometriosis.