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Updated: Jul 16, 2026
Mouse Model of Surgically-induced Endometriosis by Auto-transplantation of Uterine Tissue
Published on: January 6, 2012
Insulin-like growth factor-1 isoform mRNA expression in women with endometriosis: eutopic endometrium versus
Dimitrios Milingos1, Haralampos Katopodis, Spyros Milingos
1First Department of Obstetrics and Gynicology, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Abstract:
Pathogenesis of endometriosis involves growth factors, which are synthesized locally. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) prevents apoptosis and has mitogenic action on endometrial cells. The IGF-1 gene undergoes alternative splicing and results in three isoforms (IGF-1Ea, IGF-1Eb, and IGF-1Ec or MGF). We analyzed the mRNA expression of IGF-1 isoforms in tissue samples of eutopic endometrium and endometriotic cyst obtained during laparoscopy from women with endometriosis. We documented that all three IGF-1 isoforms are expressed in both eutopic endometrium and ovarian endometrioma. Furthermore, we documented a significant decrease in all IGF-1 isoform expression in endometriotic cyst compared to endometrium of women with endometriosis. The reduction may correlate with the disease status and presence of fibrotic inactive tissue found in late stages of the disease.
