High aromatase expression in uterine leiomyoma tissues of African-American women.

ABSTRACT:

Context

Symptomatic uterine leiomyoma is associated with irregular uterine bleeding, anemia, and recurrent pregnancy loss. African-American women develop uterine leiomyomas at an earlier age and with higher frequency compared with Caucasian-American women or other races; however, the underlying mechanism for this discrepancy is unknown.

Objective

Our objective was to determine whether gene targets of emerging leiomyoma therapeutics such as aromatase inhibitors and antiprogestins, which reduce tumor size and symptoms, are differentially expressed in tissues of African-American (n = 31), Caucasian-American (n = 34), and Japanese women (n = 36).

Results

We found strikingly higher aromatase mRNA levels in leiomyoma compared with adjacent myometrium in African-American (83

SUBMITTER: Ishikawa H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2684481 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature