New Pathogenesis Discovered for Adenomyosis Causing Severe Menstrual and Pelvic Pain

Nowon Eulji University Hospital Professors Kwon Yong-sun and Kwak Jae-young Team
'Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor' Overexpression Factors in the Myometrium

Professor Kwon Yong-soon (left) and Professor Kwak Jae-young, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nowon Eulji University Hospital.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] A domestic research team has discovered a new pathogenesis of 'adenomyosis,' a condition where endometrial tissue that induces menstruation invades the uterine muscle layer, causing abnormal bleeding, severe menstrual pain, and pelvic pain.

The Obstetrics and Gynecology team led by Professors Kwon Yong-soon and Kwak Jae-young at Nowon Eulji University Hospital announced on the 26th that the overexpression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in the uterine muscle layer is a new pathogenesis of adenomyosis.

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor is essential for creating new blood vessels necessary for tissue growth in the body. It promotes the proliferation of microvessels and tissue growth, and is also known as a factor that increases the size of cancer cells.

The research team hypothesized that when VEGF is overexpressed in the uterine muscle layer, it would increase the size of the uterus and induce adenomyosis, similar to how it promotes cancer cell growth. To test this, they compared uterine tissues by performing three tests?immunohistochemical staining, PCR testing, and protein electrophoresis?on 60 samples of endometrium, myometrium, and adenomyosis tissues collected from patients with adenomyosis to examine the distribution of VEGF.

As a result, VEGF was more dominantly detected in the myometrium and adenomyosis lesions than in the endometrium. In other words, VEGF acted on the uterine muscle layer, inducing an increase in uterine size. Professor Kwon explained, "Until now, studies have focused only on the invasion factor of the innermost uterine lining, the endometrium, as the pathogenesis of adenomyosis. However, this study clinically reveals for the first time that 'Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor' is also involved as one of the fundamental causes of endometrial thickening."

This research paper was published in the June issue of the SCI journal 'Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics and Gynecology (CEOG).'