Visit our Expo - Redox and Inflammation signaling 2012

Session XIV : Transcriptional and translational control Poster XIV, 25
Effect of NF-kB inhibition on the development of endometriosis in a nude mouse model
Reinaldo González Ramos1, Anne Van Langendonckt1, Sylvie Defrère1, Marcel
Mettlen2 and Jacques Donnez1
1 Gynecology Unit, 2 Cell Unit, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels,
Belgium. E-mail: donnez@gyne.ucl.ac.be
Introduction: Endometriosis is a gynecological disorder characterized by the ectopic growth
of endometrial tissue, in which inflammation plays an important role. The transcription factor
nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kB), has a key function in the transduction of proinflammatory
signals. The NF-kB pathway is activated in response to TNF" in human endometrial and
endometriotic stromal cells.
The purpose of this study is to test BAY 11-7085 (an inhibitor of IkB phosphorylation) and
SN-50 (inhibitor of NF-kB nuclear translocation) on the development of endometriosis and
the proliferation activity of ectopic endometrium in a murine model of endometriosis.
Material and Methods: Endometriosis was induced in nude mice by direct intraperitoneal
injection of minced human menstrual endometrium (200µl), labelled with CFDA-SE (a
fluorescent tracker). Mice were injected on days 1, 3 and 5, either with 200 µl PBS (control
mice), BAY 11-7085 (5 mg/kg in 200 µl of PBS) or SN-50 (5 mg/kg in 200 µl of PBS).
Five days after endometrial injection, lesions were identified and dissected under a
fluorescence microscope. Endometriosis development was evaluated using three methods:
weight, fluorimetry and morphometry. Wet weight was measured for each lesion and the
results were pooled per mouse. Fluorimetry involves the quantification of the fluorescence of
lesions by means of a Kodak 2000MM image station. Morphometry measures the surface of
endometriotic tissue on the largest section of a lesion immunolabelled with CK-22 (an
epithelial marker) and CD-10 (a stromal marker) antibodies.
NF-kB activation and epithelial cell proliferation were assessed after immunostaining with
NF-kB and Ki-67 antibodies, respectively.
Results: Six series of experiments were performed for BAY 11-7085 versus control mice and
three series for SN-50 versus control mice. 25 lesions were recovered in a total of 15 mice
operated. There was a significant reduction in lesion weight, fluorimetry (p