Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor and significance in patients with endometriosis

Objective:To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor1(VEGFR1) in endometriosis in order to explore their roles in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the location of VEGF and VEGFR1 protein in eutopic endometrium and ectopic endometrial tissues of 34 patients with endometriosis(EMs group) and 34 normal endometrial tissues without endometriosis(control group).The expression of VEGF and VEGFR1 was carried out by Western blot.Results:The expression of VEGF and VEGFR1 proteins in glandular and stromal cells in ectopic and eutopic endometrium of the patients with EMs were significantly higher than those in control group(P0.01),and the expression of VEGF and VEGFR1 protein was much higher in secretory phase endometrium than those in proliferative phase endometrium in normal endometrium,but it didn't exist neither ectopic nor eutopic endometrium of the patients with EMs.The results of Western blot were consistent with those of Immunohistochemistry.Conclusion:The higher expression of VEGF and VEGFR1 protein in eutopic and ectopic endometrium may play an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.