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2 May 2012 The Endothelin Axis in Uterine Leiomyomas: New Insights
Zahra Tanfin, Michelle Breuiller-Fouché
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Abstract

The endothelin axis, comprising endothelin-1 (ET-1) and its receptors (ETA and ETB), is involved in the pathophysiology of different human tumors. Here we review conventional approaches and gene expression profiling indicating the association of ET-1 and its cognate receptors with human and rat leiomyomas, the most common benign tumors of myometrium. Specifically, ET-1/ETA interactions affect human and rat leiomyoma cell proliferation through protein kinase C and mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent signaling pathways. Recent experiments demonstrate that the ET-1 axis exerts a potent antiapoptotic effect involving sphingolipid metabolism and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2/prostaglandin system in the rat Eker leiomyoma tumor-derived ELT3 cell line. Evidence supports that steroid hormones, growth factors, and extracellular matrix are key regulators of the leiomyoma growth. Interestingly, the ET-1 axis is under steroid hormones and can cooperate with these growth factors. Therefore, ET-1 alone or in association with these factors could contribute to the complex regulation of uterine tumor growth, such as proliferation, survival, and extracellular matrix production. This review summarizes current knowledge and emerging data on ET-1 in uterine leiomyoma pathology.

© 2012 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.
Zahra Tanfin and Michelle Breuiller-Fouché "The Endothelin Axis in Uterine Leiomyomas: New Insights," Biology of Reproduction 87(1), (2 May 2012). https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod.111.097725
Received: 14 November 2011; Accepted: 1 April 2012; Published: 2 May 2012
KEYWORDS
endothelin signal
pathophysiology
tumor growth
uterine leiomyoma
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