Molecular phenotyping of human endometrium

To examine the possibility that biochemical or molecular signatures of endometrium may prove to be more useful, we have investigated whole genome molecular phenotyping (54,600 genes/ESTs) of this tissue sampled across the cycle in 28 normo-ovulatory women, using high-density oligonucleotide microarrays. The results demonstrate that endometrial samples obtained by two different sampling techniques (biopsy and curetting hysterectomy specimens) from subjects who are as normal as possible in a human study and 4 including those with unknown histology, can be classified by their molecular signatures and correspond to known phases of the menstrual cycle with identical results using two independent analytical methods. Also, the results enable global identification of biological processes and molecular mechanisms that occur dynamically in the endometrium in the changing steroid hormone milieu across the menstrual cycle in normo-ovulatory women. The results underscore the potential of gene expression profiling for developing molecular diagnostics of endometrial normalcy and abnormalities and identifying molecular targets for therapeutic purposes in endometrial disorders. Keywords: Gene expression arrays human endometrium