Characterization of periostin expression in human endometrium and endometriotic lesions

Objective(s): To investigate the expression of periostin in the eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women diagnosed as endometriosis and evaluate the role of periostin in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Study design: In this study, the expression of periostin was evaluated in the endometrial specimens from 35 women diagnosed as endometriosis and from 30 healthy women. To assess the presence and localization of periostin throughout the menstrual cycle in both eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with endometriosis, microscopic evaluation was conducted. It was also subsequently compared with normal endometrium. Results: In the eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with endometriosis, immunoreactivities of periostin increased compared with those of normal endometrium. We also observed a cyclic variation in the eutopic stromal periostin immunoreactivity throughout their menstrual cycle because higher H score values were observed in the proliferative phase than those in the secretory phase. Conclusion(s): These findings indicated that periostin may be involved in the pathophysiology of endometriosis.