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Updated: Jul 6, 2025
Mouse Model of Surgically-induced Endometriosis by Auto-transplantation of Uterine Tissue
Published on: January 6, 2012
Expression of miR-21 &IL-4 in endometriosis
Reyhaneh Sadat Sandoghsaz1, Fateme Montazeri2, Hanieh Shafienia2
1International Campus, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran; Abortion Research Center, Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
Background:
Endometriosis characterized with existence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus. Fibrosis of ectopic lesions is an important feature of endometriosis. IL-4 induces fibrosis via fibroblast proliferation, collagen production and myofibroblast differentiation. Increasing of miR-21 expression promotes fibroblast activation and fibrosis expansion. The aim of study was to evaluate the expression of miR-21 and its relationship with IL-4 gene expression in endometrial ectopic and eutopic tissues of endometriosis patients.
Methods And Results:
Ectopic and eutopic tissue samples were taken from 20 women with endometriosis, and control samples were taken from the endometrium of 20 endometriosis-free women. The relative expression of IL-4 and miR-21 evaluated by Real Time PCR. IL-4 relative gene expression was significantly increased in ectopic tissue compared to eutopic (p = 0.025) and control tissue (p = 0.021). The relative expression of miR-21 gene in ectopic tissue was increased compared to eutopic (p = 0.850) and control tissue (p = 0.978) but these differences were not significant. Also, the correlation between IL-4 and miR-21 relative gene expression was not significant (p = 0.083).
Conclusion:
The increased expression of miR-21 in endometrium of women with endometriosis may upregulate the IL-4 gene expression and lead to fibrosis. Further studies may suggest miR-21 and IL-4 as candidates for diagnosis of endometriosis.
