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. 2012 May 18;17(1):12.
doi: 10.1186/2047-783X-17-12.

DNA hypomethylation of the COX-2 gene promoter is associated with up-regulation of its mRNA expression in eutopic endometrium of endometriosis

DanBo Wang  1 , Qi Chen, Chiyuan Zhang, Fang Ren, Tong Li
Affiliations

DNA hypomethylation of the COX-2 gene promoter is associated with up-regulation of its mRNA expression in eutopic endometrium of endometriosis

DanBo Wang et al. Eur J Med Res. .

Abstract

Background: Accumulated evidence reveals that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) was overexpressed in eutopic endometrium of endometriosis, which may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. However, few studies have been performed to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the abnormal high expression of COX-2 in endometriosis. Considering the fact that a number of recent studies have shown DNA methylation affecting some genes in endometriosis, the present study was therefore aimed to determine whether the observed high expression COX-2 in endometriosis is caused by the hypomethylation of CpG island within the promoter of this gene.

Methods: The endometrial tissues were collected from 60 women with endometriosis (endometriosis group) and 20 women without endometriosis (control group). The methylation status of COX-2 was examined by methylation specific PCR. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR was performed to measure COX-2 mRNA level in endometrial tissues.

Results: The frequency of promoter hypermethylation of COX-2 was lower in eutopic endometrium of the endometriosis group (41.7%) than that in the control group (75.0%), P < 0.05. COX-2 mRNA level in the eutopic endometrium of the endometriosis group was 2.61-fold higher than that in the control group (P < 0.01). COX-2 mRNA level in unmethylated endometrium of the endometriosis group or the control group was 2.39-fold and 2.66-fold, respectively, higher than that in the methylated endometrium of the same group (P < 0.01).

Conclusions: The hypomethylation within the promoter of COX-2 may be responsible for the elevated gene expression in eutopic endometrium of endometriosis.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Representative samples of MSP analyses of DNA samples from the endometrial tissues of the endometriosis and control groups. Lanes: Marker, molecular weight marker; N, universal unmethylated DNA; P, universal methylated DNA. U/M, PCR products with primers specific for unmethylated and methylated sequences, respectively.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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