BioProject

Brief description of the experiment: The objective of this experiment was to use DNA microarrays to identify differentially expressed genes in eutopic uterine endometrium compared to ectopic endometrium. More...

Brief description of the experiment: The objective of this experiment was to use DNA microarrays to identify differentially expressed genes in eutopic uterine endometrium compared to ectopic endometrium. 174 of the 53,000 genes on the whole human DNA microarrays were changed by 5-fold or greater in ectopic vs. eutopic endometrium. Families of genes that were differentially expressed include immune system and inflammatory pathway genes, genes whose cognate proteins code for cell adhesion, junctional proteins, the extracellular matrix and its remodeling, and cytoskeletal proteins, and ligands, receptors, and components of specific signal transduction pathways. The altered immune environment may allow survival of endometriotic cells that enter the peritoneal cavity. Alterations of cell adhesion-associated genes may contribute to the adhesive and invasive properties of ectopic endometrium, and changes in signal transduction pathways support a change in the communication among cells of the endometrial explant compared to eutopic endometrium. These families of differentially expressed genes provide multiple opportunities for the development and testing of new hypotheses regarding endometriosis. Keywords: disease state analysis, endometriosis Overall design: Experimental factors: Eutopic endometrium from within the uterus (endometrial biopsy) was compared to ectopic endometrium (endometriosis explants, biopsies of endometrial tissue implanted in the peritoneal cavity). Experimental design: Eutopic and ectopic endometrium were obtained from the same patients; for each patient, eutopic endometrium from the uterus served as the control for her ectopic endometrial samples. Quality control steps taken: The cRNA that was synthesized from each endometrial sample was used for hybridization to a single CodeLink (Amersham/GE) whole human genome microarray. Only one sample was hybridized with each slide and only one dye (Alexa 647) was used so no dye swaps were necessary. Bacterial control spikes were used as per manufactorer’s instructions. Samples used, extract preparation and labelling: The origin of each biological sample: All samples were obtained at laparotomy or laparoscopy from women of reproductive age. All of the patients were diagnosed with endometriosis. No drug or hormonal treatments were given to the patients. Manipulation of biological samples and protocols used: The biopsies of endometriosis and of eutopic endometrium were placed into RNAlater (Ambion) upon surgical removal from patients and frozen at -70C until RNA was extracted. Experimental factor: Eutopic endometrium vs. ectopic endometrium. Less...