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Expression Levels of Myostatin and Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 mRNAs in Uterine Leiomyoma are Correlated With Dysmenorrhea

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Abstract

Uterine leiomyoma is the most common benign neoplasm of female reproductive system, found in about 50% of women in reproductive age. The mechanisms of leiomyoma growth include cell proliferation, which is modulated by growth factors, and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM). Activin A and myostatin are growth factors that play a role in proliferation of leiomyoma cells. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are known for their ability to remodel the ECM in different biological systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression levels of activin βA-subunit, myostatin, and MMP14 messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in uterine leiomyomas and the possible correlation of these factors with clinical features of the disease. Matrix metalloproteinase 14 was highly expressed in uterine leiomyoma and correlated with myostatin and activin A mRNA expression. Moreover, MMP14 and myostatin mRNA expression correlated significantly and directly with the intensity of dysmenorrhea. Overall, the present findings showed that MMP14 mRNA is highly expressed in uterine leiomyoma, where it correlates with the molecular expression of growth factors and is further increased in cases of intense dysmenorrhea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong Liverpool University, 111 Renai Road, 215123, SIP Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China

    Anastasia Tsigkou PhD & Meng H. Lee PhD

  2. Division of Human Reproduction, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

    Fernando M. Reis MD

  3. Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy

    Pasquapina Ciarmela PhD

  4. Department of Information Engineering, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy

    Pasquapina Ciarmela PhD

  5. Guangzhou University, Panyu, Guangzhou, China

    Bingjie Jiang MD

  6. Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Siena Policlinico Santa Maria alle Scotte, 53100, Viale Bracci, Siena, Italy

    Claudia Tosti MD & Felice Petraglia MD

  7. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China

    Fang-Rong Shen MD & You-Guo Chen MD

  8. Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Reproduction, Institute of Animal Science, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China

    Zhendan Shi PhD

Authors
  1. Anastasia Tsigkou PhD
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  2. Fernando M. Reis MD
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  3. Pasquapina Ciarmela PhD
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  4. Meng H. Lee PhD
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  5. Bingjie Jiang MD
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  6. Claudia Tosti MD
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  7. Fang-Rong Shen MD
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  8. Zhendan Shi PhD
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  9. You-Guo Chen MD
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  10. Felice Petraglia MD
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Anastasia Tsigkou PhD or Felice Petraglia MD.

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Tsigkou, A., Reis, F.M., Ciarmela, P. et al. Expression Levels of Myostatin and Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 mRNAs in Uterine Leiomyoma are Correlated With Dysmenorrhea. Reprod. Sci. 22, 1597–1602 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719115592710

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719115592710

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