Objective: To investigate whether and how human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) treatment ameliorates endometriosis in an endometriotic rat model.
Methods: Twenty-four endometriosis rats were established and were randomly divided into four groups, and then the rats were treated with 19.4, 25.8, and 51.6 IU/100 g weight/day of HCG, respectively. The control group was treated with 0.9% NaCl. After 15 days (3 estrous cycles), the ectopic lesion volume and the expression of leptin protein in eutopic and ectopic endometrium were investigated.
Results: After HCG treatment, the volumes of endometriotic lesions were significantly smaller than those before treatment. During endometriosis development, the expression of leptin protein in eutopic and ectopic endometrium was remarkably increased. HCG administration reversed leptin upregulation in endometriotic tissues.
Conclusion: HCG therapy appears to be an effective treatment for endometriosis in rats through down-regulation of leptin expression in eutopic and ectopic endometrium.
© 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.