Allelic loss studies do not provide evidence for the “endometriosis-as-tumor” theory

• Published in: Fertility and sterility Vol. 83; no. 4; pp. 1134 - 1143
• Main Authors: Prowse, Amanda H., Fakis, Giannoulis, Manek, Sanjiv, Churchman, Michael, Edwards, Sarah, Rowan, Andrew, Koninckx, Philippe, Kennedy, Stephen, Tomlinson, Ian P.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.04.2005; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; Alleles; Biological and medical sciences; Endometriosis; Endometriosis - genetics; Endometriosis - pathology; Epithelial Cells - physiology; Female; Female genital diseases; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; laser capture microdissection; Loss of Heterozygosity; Medical sciences; Microsatellite Repeats; Middle Aged; Non tumoral diseases; ovarian carcinoma; Ovarian Neoplasms - genetics; Ovarian Neoplasms - pathology; Stromal Cells - physiology; Tumors; ovarian carcinoma; Endometriosis; loss of heterozygosity; laser capture microdissection; Ovary carcinoma; Allelic imbalance; Microdissection; Theory; Malignant tumor; Capture; Female genital diseases; Ovarian diseases; Fertility; Laser; Loss of heterozygosity; Uterine diseases
• ISSN: 0015-0282; 1556-5653
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2004.07.982

To identify consistent genetic changes in endometriosis samples to determine whether endometriosis lesions are true neoplasms. We analyzed ovarian endometriosis lesions for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at 12 loci of potential importance (D9S1870, D9S265, D9S270, D9S161, D11S29, D1S199, D8S261, APOA2, PTCH, TP53, D10S541, and D10S1765), including some at which genetic changes were previously reported in endometriosis. Molecular biology laboratory in a university hospital department. Seventeen women with ovarian endometriosis. Laser capture microdissection to separate the endometriotic epithelium, the adjacent endometriotic stroma, and surrounding normal ovarian stromal tissue, followed by DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction amplification of polymorphic microsatellite markers. Fluorescence-based quantitation for the LOH analysis. We identified LOH in only one lesion at one locus (D8S261). Our data do not support the hypothesis that ovarian endometriosis is a true neoplasm.