Gene Expression Profile of Uterine Leiomyoma from Women Exposed to Different Air Pollution Levels in Metropolitan Cities of Sao Paulo, Brazil
Leiomyomas (LMs) are the most frequent uterine benign tumors, representing the leading cause of hysterectomy indications worldwide. They are highly associated with women’s reproductive complications, and endocrine disruptors may influence their etiology. In this sense, air pollution represents a rel...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/3/2431 |
| Summary: | Leiomyomas (LMs) are the most frequent uterine benign tumors, representing the leading cause of hysterectomy indications worldwide. They are highly associated with women’s reproductive complications, and endocrine disruptors may influence their etiology. In this sense, air pollution represents a relevant hormonal disruptor that acts on key signaling pathways, resulting in tumor development and infertility. Our goal was to evaluate submucosal LM samples from patients living in the metropolitan and Sao Paulo city regions, focusing on genes involved in tumor development and infertility features. Twenty-four patients were selected based on their region of residence and clinical information availability. Several genes were differentially expressed between women living in metropolitan areas and Sao Paulo city. Significant associations were observed between <i>BCL-2</i>, <i>DVL1</i>, <i>FGFR3</i>, and <i>WNT5b</i> downregulation and contraceptive use in the samples from women living in Sao Paulo city. <i>ESR1</i> and <i>HHAT</i> downregulation was associated with ethnicity. <i>WNT5b</i> and <i>GREM</i> were associated with LM treatment and related pathologies, respectively. In the samples from women living in other cities of the metropolitan region, abortion occurrence was associated with <i>BMP4</i> upregulation. Although further studies may be necessary, our results showed that air pollution exposure influences the expression of genes related to LM development and female reproductive features. |
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| ISSN: | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |