Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026
Two Methods for Establishing Primary Human Endometrial Stromal Cells from Hysterectomy Specimens
Published on: May 23, 2014
Biomarkers of progestin therapy resistance and endometrial hyperplasia progression
Kristen Upson1, Kimberly H Allison, Susan D Reed
1Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. kupson@u.washington.edu
Objective:
We sought to identify biomarkers associated with progestin therapy resistance and persistence/progression of endometrial hyperplasia.
Study Design:
We performed a nested case-control study among women with complex (n = 73) and atypical (n = 41) hyperplasia treated with oral progestin, followed up 2-6 months for persistence/progression. We evaluated index endometrial protein expression for progesterone receptor isoform A, progesterone receptor isoform B (PRB), PTEN, Pax-2, and Bcl-2. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated.
Results:
Among women with atypical hyperplasia, high PRB expression was associated with 90% decreased risk of persistence/progression (95% CI, 0.01-0.8). High expression of progesterone receptor A and PRB suggested decreased risk of persistence/progression (odds ratio, 0.1; 95% CI, 0.02-1.0). These findings were not observed among women with complex hyperplasia. No associations were found with PTEN, Pax-2, and Bcl-2 protein expression.
Conclusion:
PRB expression shows promise as a biomarker of progestin response. Further research is warranted to understand how PRB expression may guide treatment decisions.