Expression of IGF-1 and IGF-1R in Uterine Leiomyoma and their Relation with Estrogen and Progestogen

Objective To investigate the expression of insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1) and its receptor(IGF-1R) in the patients with leiomyoma and their roles in the pathogenesis.Methods ELISA was used to determine the expression of IGF-1 and IGF-1R in 23 patients' leiomyoma,myometrium and sera.Each patient served as self-control.EIA was used to determine the levels of estradiol(E2) and progesterone(P) in their sera.Another 30 healthy women were enrolled in as normal serum controls.Results(1) The expression of IGF-1 and IGF-1R was stronger in leiomyoma than in myometrium(P0.01).(2) There was no difference in the expression of IGF-1 in the serum between the patients and the normal subjects(P0.05).The expression of IGF-1R was stronger in the patients than in the normal subjects(P0.01).(3) There was no significant difference in serum E2 and P at proliferation and secretion phases(P0.05).Conclusion Overdue expression of IGF-1 and IGF-1R is a probable mechanism in the development of uterine leiomyoma.Estrogen and progestogen mediate the effect of IGF-1 on leiomyoma.IGF-1 acts on the growth and proliferation of leiomyoma mainly through autocrine or paracrine.It is a probable regulatory factor in the growth of leiomyom.