Objective: To compare angiopoiesis ability of eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissue isolated from women with endometriosis and endometrium isolated from women without endometriosis (control), and to explore the inhibitory effects of medicated serum of Neiyi Recipe, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine.
Methods: Chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model of endometriosis was established by transplanting endometrium onto CAM. The CAMs were then hatched with blank serum or medicated serum of danazol or Neiyi Recipe, which were prepared in rats by orally administering. The sizes of the transplanted tissue and new vessels around the transplanted tissue were measured. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was detected by immunohistochemical method.
Results: There was no difference in the sizes of transplanted tissue among CAM models of ectopic and eutopic endometrial tissue isolated from women with endometriosis or control (P>0.05), and more new vessels were found around the ectopic and eutopic endometrial tissue than the endometrial tissue of control (P<0.05). Compared with the controls, the size of the transplanted tissue and positive area of new vessels were significantly inhibited by Neiyi Recipe-medicated serum (P<0.01, P<0.05), and similar changes happened in the danazol groups, except for the size of transplanted tissue from ectopic endometrial tissue (P>0.05). Expression of VEGF was significantly higher in eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissue than in the control (P<0.01); the level of VEGF obviously reduced in the Neiyi Recipe and danazol groups (P<0.01), but no significant difference was detected between them.
Conclusion: Endometrium from women with endometriosis stimulates the formation of new vessels by increase the expression of VEGF. Neiyi Recipe-medicated serum significantly decreases the expression of VEGF in eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissues and thus restrains the formation of new vessels, reduces the blood supply and inhibits growth of ectopic endometrial tissue, which are similar to danazol, but has greater efficacy in suppressing the expression of VEGF.