Effect of intramural myomectomy on endometrial HOXA10 and HOXA11 mRNA expression at the time of implantation window

HOXA11 and HOXA10 are expressed in endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle and show a dramatic increase during the mid-luteal phase at the time of implantation. The expression of these genes is decreased in women with myomas. To determine whether myomectomy would reverse HOXA11 and HOXA10 expression, we evaluated the transcript levels of these genes in the endometria of patients before and after myomectomy. Expression of HOXA11 and HOXA10 were examined prospectively during the midluteal phase in endometrium obtained from infertile women (n=12) with myoma before and three months after myomectomy. Endometrial HOXA11 and HOXA10 expression were evaluated using quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Endometrial HOXA11 and HOXA10 mRNAs expression levels (normalized to 18SrRNA) were increased insignificantly in endometrium of patients after myomectomy (p=0.7 and p=0.15 respectively). The results suggest that the alteration in expression pattern of these genes could not account for some aspects of fertility after myomectomy.