Expression Pattern of G-Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor in Myometrium of Uteri with and without Adenomyosis

OBJECTIVE: To compare the expression of G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) in the junctional zone and outer myometrium of the proliferative and secretory phases of women with and without adenomyosis. METHODS: A total of 76 women were included in this study, 42 with adenomyosis (proliferative phase, n = 23; secretory phases, n = 19) and 34 controls (proliferative phase, n = 16; secretory phases, n = 18). Protein and total RNA were extracted from the junctional zone (JZ) and outer myometrium (OM). GPER protein and mRNA expression levels were evaluated by the use of western blotting and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). RESULTS: The expression of GPER protein and mRNA in women with adenomyosis was significantly higher than that of control subjects, both in the junctional zone and in the outer myometrium and both in the proliferative and in the secretory phases. CONCLUSION: The significant and consistent increase in GPER expression in adenomyosis compared with control subjects, regardless of whether it was in the proliferative or secretory phases and regardless of whether it was in the JZ or OM, suggests that GPER plays an important role in the pathogenesis of the adenomyosis.