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Inhibin -subunit and the inhibin coreceptor betaglycan are downregulated in endometrial carcinoma

¹ Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, 53 100 Siena, Italy² Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Minas Gerais, 30130–100 Belo Horizonte, Brazil and ³ Department of Human Pathology and Oncology, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy

(Correspondence should be addressed to F Petraglia; Email: petraglia{at}unisi.it)

Objective: In the present study we evaluated the protein distribution and mRNA levels of inhibin -subunit and its coreceptor betaglycan in endometrial adenocarcinoma.

Design: Two groups of postmenopausal women were studied: the first group had recently diagnosed endometrial adenocarcinoma (n = 16; age range 61–79 years), and the second group (n = 12; age range 64–78 years) had undergone hysterectomy for uterine prolapse and served as control.

Methods: Inhibin -subunit and betaglycan gene expression and tissue distribution were evaluated by semiquantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry respectively.

Results: Inhibin -subunit and betaglycan mRNAs were expressed by both healthy and tumoral endometria, but their expression was significantly lower in endometrial carcinoma (P < 0.001, based on Student’s t test). Inhibin -subunit expression was much weaker in the glands of tumours than in non-neoplastic specimens. Betaglycan protein was identified in the epithelial cells lining non-tumoral endometrium, and in endothelial cells of both normal and tumoral endometria. Well-differentiated neoplastic cells had a faint and scarce betaglycan staining, and poorly differentiated cells did not express betaglycan at all.

Conclusions: The lower inhibin and betaglycan expression in endometrial adenocarcinoma suggests that the inhibin action may be disrupted. However, the expression of betaglycan in the endothelia of the tumour vasculature suggests that a selective vascular response to inhibin may be possible in these tumours.

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