Evaluation of retinoblastoma protein expression in endometrial hyperplasia.

UNLABELLED In our study we investigated immunohistochemical expression of retinoblastoma protein (pRb) in physiological endometrium (n = 15), hyperplastic endometrium (n = 61) and post-hormone replacement therapy (HRT) endometrium (n = 24). METHODS We performed an immunohistochemical analysis of pRb expression in 100 specimens of human endometrium. RESULTS The average pRb immunoexpression index score in glandular endometrial cells and stromal endometrial cells were 57,699 and 21,191 respectively. The less intense pRb immunostaining for the glandular cells was displayed in women over 49 years old. The most intense staining effect of glandular cells was observed among patients with physiological endometrium, no older than 49 years of life. There was no statistically significant correlation between the obtained pRb immunoexpression and clinical data of the examined patients. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that immunohistochemistry is not sensitive and specific enough to reveal pRb alterations resulting in endometrium pathologies. Alternatively, pathological rearrangements of endometrium may be independent from the accuracy of the pRb control over restriction point in cell-cycle pathway.