[Expression of bcl-2 protein in uterine leiomyomas and normal myometrium]
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
Objective:
To study the expression of the apoptosis regulatory protein bcl-2 in the uterine leiomyomas and in the normal myometrium.
Methods:
The expression of bcl-2 protein was examined by immunohistochemical ABC staining in 40 cases of uterine leiomyomas and normal myometrium.
Results:
bcl-2 expression was higher in the uterine leiomyomas than that in the normal myometrium, both in the proliferative phase and in the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle (P < 0.01); bcl-2 expression in leiomyomas in the secretory phase was stronger than that in the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle (P < 0.01).
Conclusions:
The increase of apoptosis inhabiting gene bcl-2 may play an important role in the growth of the uterine leiomyomas. This action may be regulated by progesterone.
