Authors

Erica E. Marsh, M.D., M.S.C.I., Shani Chibber, M.S., Ju Wu, M.D., Kendra Siegersma, B.S., Julie Kim, Ph.D., Serdar Bulun, M.D.

Volume 105, Issue 4, Pages 1070-1075

Abstract

Objective:

To determine the presence, differential expression, and regulation of epidermal growth factor–containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMP1) in uterine leiomyomas.

Design:

Laboratory in vivo and in vitro study with the use of human leiomyoma and myometrial tissue and primary cells.

Setting:

Academic medical center.

Sample(s):

Leiomyoma and myometrial tissue samples and cultured cells.

Intervention(s):

5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) treatment.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

Fold-change difference between EFEMP1 and fibulin-3 expression in leiomyoma tissue and cells compared with matched myometrial samples, and fold-change difference in EFEMP1 expression with 5-Aza-dC treatment.

Result(s):

In vivo, EFEMP1 expression was 3.19-fold higher in myometrial tissue than in leiomyoma tissue. EFEMP1 expression in vitro was 5.03-fold higher in myometrial cells than in leiomyoma cells. Western blot and immunohistochemistry staining of tissue and cells confirmed similar findings in protein expression. Treatment of leiomyoma cells with 5-Aza-dC resulted in increased expression of EFEMP1 in vitro.

Conclusion(s):

The EFEMP1 gene and its protein product, fibulin-3, are both significantly down-regulated in leiomyoma compared with myometrium when studied both in vivo and in vitro. The increase in EFEMP1 expression in leiomyoma cells with 5-Aza-dC treatment suggest that differential methylation is responsible, in part, for the differences seen in gene expression.

Read the full text at: http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(15)02172-X/fulltext