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Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Assessment of Resistance to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors by an Interrogation of Signal Transduction Pathways by Antibody Arrays
07:42

Assessment of Resistance to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors by an Interrogation of Signal Transduction Pathways by Antibody Arrays

Published on: September 19, 2018

Tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) protein expression in the human endometrium

Dana L Anger1, Bingjun Zhang, Odette Boutross-Tadross

  • 1Reproductive Biology Division, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, HSC-3N52D, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street W, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

Endocrine
|September 18, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) protein expression is elevated in the endometrium of women with endometriosis. This finding suggests TrkB may play a role in the pathogenesis of this condition.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive biology
  • Molecular biology
  • Gynecology

Background:

  • Tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) is a neurotrophic factor receptor found in the brain and ovary.
  • TrkB gene expression has been detected in deep infiltrating endometriosis.
  • TrkB is implicated in resistance to anoikis, a process potentially relevant to endometriosis pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate TrkB protein expression in the eutopic endometrium of women with and without endometriosis.
  • To determine if TrkB protein levels differ between these two groups.

Main Methods:

  • Western blot analysis of endometrial biopsies from 50 women (21 with endometriosis, 29 controls).
  • Immunohistochemistry on archived endometrial tissue from 17 women (7 with endometriosis, 10 controls).

Main Results:

  • TrkB protein expression was significantly higher in endometrial immunoblots from women with endometriosis compared to controls.
  • Immunohistochemistry confirmed TrkB localization to the cytoplasm of epithelial cells in the eutopic endometrium of both groups.

Conclusions:

  • TrkB protein is expressed in human eutopic endometrium.
  • Endometrial TrkB protein expression appears to be greater in women with endometriosis compared to those without.
  • These findings suggest a potential role for TrkB in the development of endometriosis.

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