Abstract:

Objective    To investigate expression of nerve fibers in the eutopic endometrium in endometriosis. Methods    64 patients diagnosed with endometriosis from January 2008 to December 2009 in our hospital were divided into four groups according to the revised American Fertility Society scoring system(rAFS): and stageⅠ,11 cases(group 1); stageⅡ, 12 cases（group 2）; stage Ⅲ, 20 cases（group 3）; and stage Ⅳ, 21 cases(group 4).  10 patients diagnosed without endometriosis served as the controls(group 0). Nerve fibers in endometrium tissue sections by diagnostic uterine curettage were immunohistochemically detected using growth associated protein 43(GAP43) and S-100. Nerve fiber density in the eutopic endometrium was compared between patients with and without endometriosis, and  the nearest distance between nerve fibers and endometrial glands in the endometriosis groups was compared. Results     Nerve fiber densities in the endometriosis groups and the control group were significantly different (both GAP-43 groups and S-100 groups, P<0.001). Nearest distances between nerve fibers and endometrial glands in the endometriosis groups had no difference (both GAP-43 groups and S-100 groups， P>0.05). Conclusion    Nerve fiber density in the eutopic endometrium is close related to progression of endometriosis. Progression of endometriosis is not related to the nearest distance between nerve fibers and endometrial glands.

Key words: Endometriosis； Eutopic endometrium； Nerve fiber density；  Growth associated protein-43