AGE-RELATED SPECIFICITIES OF ENDOMETRIAL PROLIFERATION/STEM CELL INDEX DISTRIBUTION

Area of Science:

• Reproductive biology
• Stem cell research
• Gynecologic pathology

Background:

• Endometrial stem cells are crucial for uterine tissue regeneration but remain poorly understood due to the endometrium's complexity.
• Hormonal influence and cyclical remodeling complicate the study and identification of endometrial stem cells.
• Investigating age-related changes in endometrial stem cells is vital for understanding normal function and disease development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore age-related differences in the endometrial proliferative/stem cell index.
• To compare this index in normal endometrium versus cases of endometrial hyperplasia.
• To identify potential biomarkers for endometrial health and disease across different age groups.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of histopathology specimens from normal and endometrial hyperplasia cases.
• Utilized Hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry for Ki67 (proliferation marker) and CD146 (stem cell marker).
• Calculated the proliferative/stem cell index by dividing the percentage of Ki67-positive cells by the percentage of CD146-positive cells.

Main Results:

• In normal endometrium, the proliferative/stem cell index decreases with age (reproductive: 10.6, menopause: 4.5, post-menopause: 1).
• In endometrial hyperplasia, the index significantly increases with age (reproductive: 18, menopause: 18.2, post-menopause: 18.5).
• The index shows a marked increase in endometrial hyperplasia compared to normal, especially in post-menopause (18.5 times higher).

Conclusions:

• The proliferative/stem cell index exhibits distinct age-related patterns in normal endometrium versus endometrial hyperplasia.
• Elevated index in hyperplasia, particularly post-menopause, suggests altered stem cell dynamics and proliferation.
• This index may serve as a valuable indicator for assessing endometrial status and risk of hyperplasia across aging.