Increased endometrial expression of CC-chemokine receptor-1 in women with adenomyosis

Abnormal endometrial expression of CC-chemokine receptor-1 (CCR1) may play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Adenomyosis, also called endometriosis interna, occurs when the endometrium invades the myometrium. The objective of this study was to determine CCR1 expression in endometrium in women with adenomyosis as compared to women without adenomyosis. We evaluated endometrial mRNA and protein expression in women with and without adenomyosis using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunohistochemical staining and western blot analysis, respectively. We detected CCR1-immunoreactive expression in endometrium in all women with and without adenomyosis. CCR1-immunoreactive staining in endometrial cells was significantly higher in women with adenomyosis (4.89±1.06) compared to those without adenomyosis (2.21±1.16, P<0.001). Women with adenomyosis had higher levels of CCR1 mRNA in endometrium compared to women without adenomyosis (P<0.05). CCR1 protein levels in endometrium were significantly higher in women with adenomyosis (1.66±0.79) compared to women without adenomyosis (0.56±0.13, P<0.001), and positively correlated with the severity of dysmenorrhea (r=0.87, P<0.001). These results suggest that increased CC-chemokine receptor expression may play a role in the pathogenesis of adenomyosis.