Reproductive Endocrinology And Infertility Clinical Trai

生殖内分泌学和不孕不育科由James Segars领导，研究各种临床生殖疾病的根本原因和治疗效果。该单位的使命是在生殖内分泌学和不孕症的多机构临床培训计划的背景下进行对生殖重要的基础，转化和临床研究。在过去的一年里，我们继续研究两种非常普遍的生殖疾病，子宫肌瘤（也称为平滑肌瘤）和子宫内膜异位症。我们以前的研究表明，产生细胞外基质（细胞之间的结缔组织）的基因在子宫肌瘤中以异常水平表达。在过去的一年中，我们发现子宫肌瘤的细胞外基质是异常的，是异常形成的，因为与正常子宫组织中的致密纤维相比，胶原纤维在肌瘤中是随机取向和广泛间隔的。这一发现表明，细胞外基质沉积在肌瘤可能不容易降解，并可能有助于肿瘤的生长。按照计划，我们已经开始与NIH临床中心，国家癌症研究所和国家环境健康科学研究所的研究人员合作进行一项涉及非手术治疗肌瘤的研究。在与Heiner Westphal、Chrousos和Kino博士正在进行的合作研究中，实验表明Brx和相关蛋白质在激素作用中的生理作用。由于不孕症和子宫内膜异位症影响了许多试图生育孩子的女性，我们继续进行子宫内膜异位症和不孕症的临床研究，以优化患有子宫内膜异位症或不孕症的夫妇的治疗结果。

The Unit on Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, led by James Segars, investigates underlying causes and effectiveness of treatment for a variety of clinical reproductive disorders. This unit has the mission to conduct basic, translational, and clinical studies of importance to reproduction in the context of the multi-institutional clinical training program in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. In the past year, we have continued our research on two very prevalent disorders of reproduction, uterine fibroids (also known as leiomyoma), and endometriosis. Our previous studies have revealed that genes producing the extracellular matrix (connective tissue between cells) were expressed at abnormal levels in uterine fibroids. In the past year, we have found that the extracellular matrix of uterine fibroids is abnormal is abnormally-formed, as the collagen fibers are randomly oriented and widely spaced in fibroids, compared to the compact fibers in normal uterine tissues. This finding suggests that the extracellular matrix deposited in fibroids may not be easily degraded, and might contribute to growth of the tumors. As planned, we have begun a study involving non-surgical treatment of fibroids in collaboration with investigators at the NIH Clinical Center, the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. In the ongoing collaborative study with Drs. Heiner Westphal, Chrousos, and Kino experiments have suggested a physiologic role for Brx in and related proteins in hormone action. As infertility and endometriosis affect many women attempting to have children, we continue to conduct clinical studies of endometriosis and infertility in an effort to optimize outcome of treatment for couples experiencing endometriosis or infertility.