To assess the release of the proteolytic enzyme cathepsin D in endometriosis, concentrations in peritoneal fluid and serum were measured by ELISA in 54 women with (n = 33) and without (n = 21) endometriosis. Surgery was scheduled in either the proliferative or secretory phase of the menstrual cycle. The concentrations of cathepsin D in the peritoneal fluid were markedly elevated in the endometriosis patients (median 58 ng/ml, interquartile range 0–166 ng/ml) as compared to the controls (5 ng/ml, 0–86 ng/ml), especially in women with late stage disease (n = 19, stages III/IV) and in those not undergoing gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist therapy (n = 15). No significant difference was determined in cathepsin D concentrations of the serum from women with and without endometriosis. We conclude that cathepsin D is an important factor that may contribute to the pathogenesis of endometriosis, possibly by promoting digestion of extracellular matrix proteins. These results have implications for the therapeutic efficacy of GnRH agonists.
为了评估子宫内膜异位症中蛋白
水解酶组织
蛋白酶 D 的释放,通过 ELI
SA 测量了 54 名患有 (n = 33) 和不患有 (n = 21) 子宫内膜异位症的女性腹膜液和血清中的浓度。手术安排在月经周期的增殖期或分泌期。与对照组(5 ng/ml,0-86 ng/ml)相比,子宫内膜异位症患者腹腔液中组织
蛋白酶 D 的浓度显着升高(中位数 58 ng/ml,四分位数范围 0-166 ng/ml) ,尤其是患有晚期疾病的女性(n = 19,III/IV 期)和未接受
促性腺激素释放激素 (GnRH) 激动剂治疗的女性 (n = 15)。患有和不患有子宫内膜异位症的女性血清中的组织
蛋白酶 D 浓度没有显着差异。我们得出结论,组织
蛋白酶 D 是可能促进子宫内膜异位症发病机制的一个重要因素,可能是通过促进细胞外基质蛋白的消化来实现的。这些结果对 GnRH 激动剂的治疗效果具有影响。