Expression and correlation of vascular endothelial growth factor and epithelial neutrophil-activating peptide-78 in the serum of patients with endometriosis

Objective:To investigate the concentrations of vascular endothelial growth facter (VEGF) and epithelial neutrophilactivating peptide-78 (ENA-78) in the serum of patients with endometriosis,and to explore the role of them in the pathogenesis of endo-metriosis.Methods:Serum concentrations of VEGF and ENA-78were measured by enzyme-linked immunosobent assay (ELISA) in 48 patients with endometriosis (22 in stages Ⅰ,Ⅱ and 26 in stages Ⅲ,Ⅳ) in comparison with 40 women without endometriosis.The correlation of serum concentrations of VEGF and ENA-78 and the relationship between the levels of these cytokines and dysmenorrhea were analyzed as well.Results:Concentrations of VEGF and ENA-78 were statistically higher in serum from endometriosis patients than that from controls (P 0.05).Serum concentrations of VEGF and ENA-78 were statistically higher in stages Ⅲ and Ⅳ than that in stages Ⅰ and Ⅱ (P 0.05).The levels of VEGF and ENA-78 were positively correlated in serum of patients with endometriosis (r=0.572,P 0.05).The levels of VEGF and ENA-78 in the serum of patients were uncorrelated with the severity of dysmenorrhea (P 0.05).Conclusion:Increased serum levels of VEGF and ENA-78 indicate that these cytokines may play an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.The levels of VEGF and ENA-78 in the serum have no significant correlation with the dysmenorrhea.