Objective: To investigate the relationship between nitric oxide and contractile disfunction of junctional zone of smooth muscle by detecting the expression of nitric oxide in uterine junctional zone in patients with adenomyosis.
Methods: From February 2012 to July 2012, 23 patients with adenomyosis undergoing hysterectomy as adenomyosis group matched as 16 patients with cervical carcinoma or ovarian cancer were enrolled as control group in Center of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital.Location of nitric oxide synthase (inducible NOS and endothelial NOS) in uterine junctional zone was analyzed by immunohistochemistry.Smooth muscle cells of junctional zone were cultured and cellular mRNA levels of nitric oxide synthase were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction.Furthermore, concentration of nitrites in lysates of fresh junctional zone tissues and cultured cells were determined by Griess reaction.
Results: (1) The expression of nitric oxide synthase proteins in smooth muscle cells of junctional zone tissues:the staining of iNOS was intensive in smooth muscle cells of junctional zone in patients with adenomyosis, while staining of eNOS was scant. Both staining of iNOS and eNOS were not observed in control group.(2) The expression of NOS genes in cultured smooth muscle cells from adenomyosis:mRNA level of iNOS was elevated by 1.5 times (P < 0.01) while eNOS level was reduced by 2.6 times when compared with those in control groups (P < 0.05) .(3) Nitrites concentration in lysates of junctional zone tissues and cultured cells:concentrations of nitrites in lysates of 100 mg tissues were respectively (37 ± 8) µmol/L and (28 ± 5) µmol/L in adenomyosis and control group (P > 0.05).While concentrations of nitrites in 1×10(6) cells were respectively (11.8 ± 0.6) µmol/L and (10.8 ± 1.5) µmol/L in adenomyosis and control group, which did not reach statistical difference (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: Up-regulation of nitric oxide might be associated with contractile disfunction of smooth muscle cells in uterine junctional zone of patients with adenomyosis.