Analysis of Gene Expression in the Endocervical Epithelium of Wonnen With Deep Endometriosis

Endometriosis affects approximately 12% of reproductive-age women and is currently diagnosed using invasive laparoscopic sur-gery. Differences in gene expression in the eutopic endometrium between women with and without endometriosis have been reported, and determining the reproducibility of these genetic differences in the endocervical epithelium would represent an important step toward developing novel diagnostic strategies. In this study, we analyzed gene expression in the endocervical epithelium in women with and without moderate or severe endometriosis. Using RT2 Profiler PCR Arrays, we analyzed gene expression in endocervical epithelial cells from women with deep endometriosis (n = 4) and healthy women (n =6). Nine genes were identified as being upregulated:5 cell cycle genes (cyclin Bl [CCNBI], cyclin Gl [CCNGI], cullin I [CULI], general tran-scription factor IIH, Polypeptide I [GTF2HI ], and proliferating cell nuclear antigen [PCNA]), 3 cytokinegenes (C3, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 21 [CCL2I], and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 14 [CXCLI4]) and I gene related to dendritic cell pathways (ICAM2), showingthat differential gene expression is present in the endocervical epithelium of women with deep endometriosis.