Relationship of apoptosis and its regulating protein Bcl-2,Bax expression to pathogenesis of endometriosis.

Objective:To investigate the apoptosis regulating protein Bcl-2 and Bax expression in endometrium with non endometriosis(control),eutopic endometrium and ectopic endometrium with EMS in abdominal wall endometriosis,ovarian endometriosis and adenomyosis respectively.Methods:The expressions of Bcl-2,Bax of these samples were investigated by immunohistochemical assay.Cell apoptosis in each endometrial tissures was determined by flow cytometry.Results :The expression of Bcl-2 or Bax in the eutopic endometrium was the same as the normal endometrium,showing obvious cyclic changes.An increased expression of Bcl-2 and Bax was found in proliferative eutopic endometrium of healthy controls than secretory endometrium(P0.05).The Bcl-2 and Bax expression in adenomyosis and in abdominal wall endometriosis was not the cyclic change.Less expression of Bcl-2 and Bax was found in the ovarian endometriosis.There was significant difference of apoptosis rate among control,eutopic endometrium and ectopic endometrium(P0.05).Conclusions:①The Bcl-2 and Bax cyclic change may play an important role in the proliferation and physiologic death of normal and eutopic endometrial glandular epithelial cells.②Bcl-2 may play an important role in forming adenomyosis and abdominal wall endometriosis.③Bcl-2 may be the cause of forming chocolate cyst by prompting apoptosis.