Roles of cell migration and invasion mediated by Twist in endometriosis

To investigate the roles of cell migration and invasion mediated by Twist in endometriosis.

The protein levels and locations of Twist, N-cadherin and E-cadherin were measured by Western blot and immunohistochemistry in ectopic endometrium and eutopic endometrium of ovarian endometriosis as well as normal endometrium of nonendometriosis patients. The messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions of Twist, N-cadherin and E-cadherin in these tissues were measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Stable overexpression of Twist in eutopic endometrial stromal cells was transfected with a plasmid-mediated delivery system. The protein and mRNA expressions of N-cadherin and E-cadherin were detected by western blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The changes of migration and invasion of endometrial stromal cells were explored by transwell.

Levels of protein and mRNA of Twist and N-cadherin showed the highest expression in ectopic endometrium of ovarian endometriosis, while lowest in normal endometrium of nonendometriosis patients. On the contrary, the expression of E-cadherin showed highest in normal endometrium of nonendometriosis patients. The overexpression of Twist after transfection significantly upregulated the protein and mRNA expression of N-cadherin, while downregulated the protein and mRNA expression of E-cadherin. There is significant difference between groups. For transwell, the overexpression of Twist in eutopic endometrial stromal cell significantly promoted cell migration and invasion.

Twist might be related with the increase of migration and invasion in endometrial stromal cells, mediated by epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.