Expression of gonadal steroid receptors in the ovaries of post-menopausal women with malignant or benign endometrial pathology: a pilot study

Abstract

This pilot study aimed to investigate the expression of estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR), as well as their subtypes [alpha (ERα), beta (ERβ)], in the ovaries of postmenopausal women with benign or malignant endometrial pathology. Twenty postmenopausal women (age 66.2 ± 7.4 years) were included, diagnosed with benign (n = 10) or malignant [(serous/papillary (n = 4), endometrioid (n = 6)] endometrial lesions. Higher ERβ and PR ovarian expressions were observed comparing women with endometrioid versus non-endometrioid endometrial carcinoma (p = 0.022 and p = 0.029, respectively). Age, age at menarche and presence of hypertension were negatively associated with ERs and PR expression. The expression of ERα and ERβ was inversely correlated with menopausal age, which was not verified for PR. No significant association was observed between ERs or PR expression and benign or malignant endometrial pathology. Higher expression of ERβ and PR in the postmenopausal ovary is associated with the presence of a less aggressive type of endometrial cancer, comparing women with endometrioid versus non-endometrioid lesions. The expression pattern of ovarian receptors did not differ regarding the development of benign or malignant endometrial lesions. Larger observational studies are necessary to confirm the significance of our findings.

Chinese abstract

此初步研究的目的是在有良性或者恶性子宫内膜病理的绝经后妇女卵巢中，研究雌激素受体（ER）和孕酮受体（PgR）以及其亚型[alpha (ERα), beta (ERβ)]的表达。二十名绝经后妇女被纳入了此项研究（年龄在66.2 ± 7.4岁），均诊断出了良性(n=10)或者恶性[(浆液性/乳头状 (n=4), 子宫内膜样 (n=6)]子宫内膜病变。比较有子宫内膜样肿瘤的女性和非子宫内膜样子宫内膜癌的女性，可以观察到前者卵巢有更高的ERβ和PR 表达(p值分别为p=0.022 和p=0.029).年龄，初潮年龄和高血压发生与否与ER和PR表达呈负相关. ERα和 ERβ的表达和绝经年龄负相关，但尚未证实与PR是否有关。未观察到ERs或者PR的表达与良性或恶性的子宫内膜病理具有显著关联.将有子宫内膜样瘤的女性与无子宫内膜病变的女性做对比，绝经后卵巢中更高的ERβ和PR表达与一种低危型的子宫内膜癌的出现有关。卵巢受体的表达谱并不随着良性或者恶性子宫内膜肿瘤的病变发展而改变.更大的观察性研究对于确认我们发现的意义是必要的。

• Endometrioid carcinoma
• estrogen receptors
• progesterone receptors
• postmenopausal women
• serous/papillary carcinoma

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflictss of interest.