Objectives: The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether fibrotic markers and endometrial stem cell markers were abnormal expressed in endometrium of intrauterine adhesions and a female mouse model for intrauterine adhesions.
Methods: We revaluated endometrial fibrosis using Masson's stain. We detected the expression of endometrium stem cell markers (CD146 and CD140b) and fibrosis markers (TGF-Beta, CTGF, collagen protein I and collagen protein III) in endometrial tissue with intrauterine adhesions using real-time PCR and S-P (Streptavidin-Peroxidase) immunohistochemistry. We create a female mouse model for intrauterine adhesions using mechanical injury, and then revalue the expression of endometrial stem cell markers and fibrosis markers in endometrial tissue of mouse model for intrauterine adhesions.
Results: The ratio of the area with endometrial fibrosis to total endometrial area in intrauterine adhesious significantly increased compared with the normal endometrial tissue (P < 0.05); The expression levels of fibrotic markers and endometrial stem cell markers were higher in the endometrial tissue with intrauterine adhesious compared to normal endometrial tissue (P < 0.05). The animal experiments showed that the ratio of the area with endometrial fibrosis to total endometrial area significantly increased compared with the control group (P < 0.05); The expression levels of fibrotic markers and endometrial stem cell markers were higher in the endometrial tissue compared to the control group (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Aberrant activation of fibrosis may be involved in the pathology of intrauterine adhesious.
Keywords: Stem cells; fibrosis; intrauterine adhesious.