[Expression of cylooxygenase-2 in endometriosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of cyclooxygense-2 (COX-2) in eutopic and ectopic endometrium in ovarian endometriosis. METHODS: Thirty patients with ovrian endometriosis, 10 with ovarian chocolate cysts and 27 normal controls were enrolled it determine the expression of COX-2 immunohistochemically in eutopic or ectopic endometrium or healthy endometrial tissues. RESULTS: The immunoreactivities of COX-2 were found in epithelial cells and stromal cells in eutopic endometrium. The expression of COX-2 in the epithelial cells in the secretory phase was higher than that in the proliferative phase in the control group and ovarian endometriosis group (P <0. 05). But the expression of COX-2 in stromal cells in the control group and ovarian endometriosis group showed no cyclic changes throughout the menstrual cycle (P > 0. 05). The expression of COX-2 in eutopic and ectopic endometrium in the ovarian endometriosis group was higher than that in the control group (P <0. 05) , hut we did not find significant difference between the eutopic and ectopic endometrium in the ovarian endometriosis group (P > 0. 05). CONCLUSION: The increased COX-2 expression in eutopic and ectopic endometrium in ovarian endometriosis may he related to its pathology.