Correlation of thrombomodulin expression and occlusion of the uterine artery for the treatment of leiomyoma.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the difference in thrombomodulin expression in the myometrium and in myoma; and to understand the correlation of anticoagulation/fibrinolytic function and the mechanism of uterine artery occlusion in the treatment of leiomyoma.

STUDY

DESIGN

Immunohistochemistry, western blotting and fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to investigate thrombomodulin protein expression and gene transcription in 15 female patients.

RESULTS

Thrombomodulin was mainly expressed in endotheliocytes in the two types of tissues. According to western blotting data, the relative expression of protein of the myometrium was 1.49 times higher than that of the myoma. This difference was significant (P < 0.01). The relative transcription of thrombomodulin mRNA was 1.28 times higher in myometrial tissue than in myomal tissue (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Anticoagulation/fibrinolytic functions may be higher in the myometrium than in fibroids. This may be an important explanation for the mechanism of uterine artery occlusion.