Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Peripheral Blood Telomere Content Is Greater in Patients With Endometriosis Than in Controls

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Reproductive Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The etiology of endometriosis remains poorly understood but circulating stem cells may contribute. Telomeres shorten with cell divisions and age. Stem cells attempt to compensate for telomere attrition through the action of telomerase. Since circulating stem cells may contribute to endometriosis, we compared telomere content in lymphocytes of patients with and without endometriosis.

Methods

Observational study comparing peripheral lymphocytes telomere content, measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, in patients with (n = 86) and without endometriosis (n = 21).

Findings

Patients with endometriosis had longer telomeres than that of matched, endometriosis-free controls (telomere to single copy gene ratio [T/S ratio] of 1.62 vs 1.34, respectively, P = .00002). Patients with endometriosis were 8.1-fold more likely to have long telomeres. (odds ratio = 8.1, 95% confidence interval: 1.28-51.57, P = .0264).

Interpretation

Longer telomeres could be consistent with a stem cell origin of endometriosis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Metzger DA, Haney AF. Etiology of endometriosis. Obstet Gynecol Clin. 1989;16(1):1–14.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Eskenazi B, Warner ML. Epidemiology of endometriosis. Obstet Gynecol Clin North. 1997;24(2):235–258.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Lapp T. ACOG issues recommendations for the management of endometriosis. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Am Fam Physician. 2000;62(6):1431–1434.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine classification of endometriosis: 1996. Fertil Steril. 1997;67(5):817–821.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Nisolle M, Donnez J. Peritoneal endometriosis, ovarian endometriosis, and adenomyotic nodules of the rectovaginal septum are three different entities. Fertil Steril. 1997;68(4):585–596.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Chapron C, Chopin N, Borghese B, et al. Deeply infiltrating endometriosis: pathogenetic implications of the anatomical distribution. Hum Reprod. 2006;21(7):1839–1845.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Sampson JA. Peritoneal endometriosis due to the menstrual dissemination of endometrial tissue into the peritoneal cavity. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1927;14(14):422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Harada T, Iwabe T, Terakawa N. Role of cytokines in endometriosis. Fertil Steril. 2001;76(1):1–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Halme J, Hammond MG, Hulka JF, Raj SG, Talbert LM. Retrograde menstruation in healthy women and in patients with endometriosis. Obstet Gynecol. 1984;64(2):151–154.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Vercellini P, De Giorgi O, Aimi G, Panazza S, Uglietti A, Crosignani PG. Menstrual characteristics in women with and without endometriosis. Obstet Gynecol. 1997;90(2):264–268.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Von Zglinicki T. Oxidative stress shortens telomeres. Trends Biochem Sci. 2002;27(7):339–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Wong JM, Collins K. Telomere maintenance and disease. Lancet. 2003;362(9388):983–988.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Chan SR, Blackburn EH. Telomeres and telomerases. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2004;359(1441):109–121.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. Tanaka M, Kyo S, Takakura M, et al. Expression of telomerase activity in human endometrium is localized to epithelial glandular cells and regulated in a menstrual phase-dependent manner correlated with cell proliferation. Am J Pathol. 1998;153(6):1985–1991.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Wright WE, Piatyszek MA, Rainey WE, Byrd W, Shay JW. Telomerase activity in human germline and embryonic tissues and cells. Dev Genet. 1996;18(2):173–179.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. O’Callaghan NJ, Fenech M. A quantitative PCR method for measuring absolute telomere content. Biol Proced Online. 2011;13:3.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. www.R-project.org. Accessed March 18, 2014.

  18. Hapangama DK, Turner MA, Drury JA, et al. Endometriosis is associated with aberrante endometrial expression of telomerase and increased telomere length. Hum Reprod. 2008;23(7): 1511–1519.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Calado RT, Yewdell WT, Wilkerson KL, et al. Sex hormones, acting on the TERT gene, increase telomerase activity in human primary hematopoietic cells. Blood. 2009;114(11):2236–2243.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Bayne S, Liu JP. Hormones and growth factors regulate telomerase activity in ageing and cancer. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2005; 240(1-2):11–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Sasson IE, Taylor HS. Stem cells and the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008;1127:106–115.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Figueira PG, Abrao MS, Krikun G, Taylor HS. Stem cells in endometrium and their role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2011;1221:10–17.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Prescott J, Wentzensen IM, Savage SA, De Vivo I. Epidemiologic evidence for a role of telomere dysfunction in cancer etiology. Mutat Res. 2012;730(1–2):75–84.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Meresman GF, Vighi S, Buquet RA, Contreras-Ortiz O, Tesone M, Rumi LS. Apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in eutopic endometrium from women with endometriosis. Fertil Steril. 2000;74(4):760–766.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Harada T, Kaponis A, Iwabe T, et al. Apoptosis in human endometrium and endometriosis. Hum Reprod Update. 2004;10(1): 29–38.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Starzinski Powitz A, Handrow-Metzmacher H, Kotzian S. The putative role of cell adhesion molecules in endometriosis: can we learn from tumour metastasis? Mol Med Today. 1999;5(7): 304–309.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Brinton LA, Gridley G, Persson I, Baron J, Bergqvist A. Cancer risk after a hospital discharge diagnosis of endometriosis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1997;176(3):572–579.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Erzen M, Kovacic J. Relationship between endometriosis and ovarian cancer. Eur J Gynaecol Oncol. 1998;19(6): 553–555.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Jimbo H, Yoshikawa H, Onda T, Yasugi T, Sakamoto A, Taketani Y. Prevalence of ovarian endometriosis in epithelial ovarian cancer. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 1997;59(3):245–250.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Abrao MS, Podgaec S, Dias JA Jr, et al. Deeply infiltrating endometriosis affecting the rectum and lymph nodes. Fertil Steril. 2006;86(3):543–547.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Kim CM, Oh YJ, Cho SH, et al. Increased telomerase activity and human telomerase reverse transcriptase mRNA expression in the endometrium of patients with endometriosis. Hum Reprod. 2007;22(3):843–849.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of New York University School of Medicine, 450 E 20th St, Apt 6D, 10009, New York, NY, USA

    Roberta C. Dracxler MD, C. Oh PhD, K. Kalmbach MS, F. Wang PhD, L. Liu PhD, M. L. Seth-Smith BS, D. Antunes MS & D. L. Keefe MD

  2. Endometriosis Department of the Medical School of Sao Paulo University, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Roberta C. Dracxler MD & M. S. Abrao MD

  3. Immunology Department of the Medical School of Sao Paulo University, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil

    E. G. Kallas MD & M. T. M. Giret PhD

Authors
  1. Roberta C. Dracxler MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. Oh PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K. Kalmbach MS
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. F. Wang PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. L. Liu PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. E. G. Kallas MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. M. T. M. Giret PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. M. L. Seth-Smith BS
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. D. Antunes MS
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. D. L. Keefe MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. M. S. Abrao MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roberta C. Dracxler MD.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Dracxler, R.C., Oh, C., Kalmbach, K. et al. Peripheral Blood Telomere Content Is Greater in Patients With Endometriosis Than in Controls. Reprod. Sci. 21, 1465–1471 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719114527353

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719114527353

Keywords

Search

Navigation