Study on the expression of cell apoptosis regulating protein bcl-2 and bax in endometriosis

Objective To investigate the expression of bcl-2 and bax in the endometrium of endometriosis pa- tients and the relation between its expression and the occurrence of endometriosis. Methods The expression of bcl-2,bax protein was evaluated by immnohistochemistry(S-P method) in 30 endometriosis endometrium and 20 normal endometrium. Results The expression of bcl-2 was significantly higher in proliferative phase than that in secretory phase in normal endometrium(P0.01). It was same in eutopic endometrium of endometrisis patients, but its expression is significantly higher than normal endometrium in proliferative and secretory phase. There was no significamt difference in Bcl-2 expression in proliferative and secretory phase betiveen eutopic and ectopic endomeetrum(P ﹥ 0.05),but it was higher than that in the control group(P ﹥ 0.01). The expression of bax was vice versa. Conclusion The proliferative and apoptosis property is different in the endometriosis endometruium. When endometriosis occur, the bcl-2/bax ratio increases, so bcl-2/bax may be used as one of the index of the ac- tivity of endometrium cell ectopia