Study of cell apoptosis and Bcl-2 expressions in the ectopic nidus of adenomyosis

Objective To investigate the role of apoptosis and Bcl-2in the eutopic and ectopic endometrium of adenomyosis.Methods 27patients with histologically proven adenomyosis and 32patients with leiomyoma of the uterus were included in this study.Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect Bcl-2expression in eutopic and ectopic endometrium from women with adenomyosis and eutopic endometrium from women with leiomyoma.Apoptosis was detected with by dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) in the eutopic and ectopic endometrium.Results The apoptosis index decreased significantly in the glandular cells and stromal cells of ectopic endometrium compared to that of eutopic endometrium (P0.001 , P=0.001) .The Bcl-2staining intensity in glandular and stromal cells in ectopic endometrium increased in proliferative phase compared to luteal phase (P0.05) .The Bcl-2staining intensity of glandular and stromal cells in ectopic endometrium was stronger compared with that of in eutopic endometrium (P=0.035 , P=0.016) .Significant negative correlation was found between apoptosis index and the Bcl-2staining intensity in adenomyosis.Conclusion Apoptosis index of ectopic endometrium decreased markly in adenomyosis , Bcl-2was likely to be one of the important apoptosis inhibitors in ectopic endometrium of adenomyosis.