Myometrial cells undergo fibrotic transformation under the influence of Transforming Growth Factor Beta 3

Abstract

Uterine leiomyomas are characterized by an excessive production of extracellular matrix (ECM) and develop under the influence of growth factors. Transforming growth factor β3 is known to up-regulate the accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins in uterine leiomyomas where it stimulates the expression of collagens, fibronectin and proteoglycans, in synergy with connective tissue growth factor. Uterine myometrium can undergo molecular alteration under the influence of transforming growth factor β3. This study will examine the effect of exogenous application of TGFβ3 to immortalized myometrium and leiomyoma cell lines cloned from primary cell cultures of surgical specimens, to demonstrate that uterine myometrium cells can undergo molecular alterations under the influence of transforming growth factor beta-3 that may resemble the molecular phenotype of leiomyoma cells. To evaluate the molecular transformation in uterine myometrium in the presence TGFβ3, this study will look at and compare the expression of Fibronectin, Collagen 1A1 and CTGF at mRNA and protein levels in both myometrial and leiomyoma cell lines.