Evaluation of two endometriosis models bytransplantation of human endometrial tissue fragmentsand human endometrial mesenchymal cells

Background: The animal models of endometriosis could be a valuable alternativetool for clarifying the etiology of endometriosis.Objective: In this study two endometriosis models at the morphological andmolecular levels was evaluated and compared.Materials and Methods: The human endometrial tissues were cut into smallfragments then they were randomly considered for transplantation into γ irradiatedmice as model A; or they were isolated and cultured up to fourth passages. 2×106cultured stromal cells were transplanted into γ irradiated mice subcutaneously asmodel B. twenty days later the ectopic tissues in both models were studiedmorphologically by Periodic acid-Schiff and hematoxylin and eosin staining. Theexpression of osteopontin (OPN) and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) geneswere also assessed using real time RT-PCR. 17-β estradiol levels of mice sera werecompared before and after transplantation.Results: The endometrial like glands and stromal cells were formed in the implantedsubcutaneous tissue of both endometriosis models. The gland sections per cubicmillimeter, the expression of OPN and MMP2 genes and the level of 17-β estradiolwere higher in model B than model A (p=0.03).Conclusion: Our observation demonstrated that endometrial mesenchymal stromalcells showed more efficiency to establish endometriosis model than humanendometrial tissue fragments

Keywords:

Endometriosis , Matrix metalloproteinase 2 , Osteopontin , Stromal cells