The content of steroid hormones in the mitochondria of unchanged and tumor tissue of the uterine body

Mitochondria regulate a wide range of processes, including stress responses, metabolism, immunity, differentiation, redox homeostasis, and steroidogenesis, and also serve as the principal intracellular source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to the development of various pathological conditions, including the growth of both benign and malignant tumors.

Purpose of the study. Determination of the level of steroid hormones in the mitochondria of various tissues of the uterine body.

Materials and methods. The study included 65 patients with benign and malignant diseases of the uterus: 25 patients with endometrioid adeno‑ carcinoma of the uterus (EAC) of low differentiation (G3) stage II–III; 15 patients with leiomyosarcoma of the uterus stage I–III; and 25 patients with uterine myoma. Mitochondria from native samples of uterine tumors were isolated by differential centrifugation in a high-speed refrigerated centrifuge Avanti J-E, Becman Coulter. For the comparison group, mitochondria were isolated from intact uterine tissue. The levels of estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), progesterone (P4), and cortisol were determined using standard ELISA kits (Monobind, USA) in mitochondria isolated from the indicated tissues. A statistical analysis of the results was conducted using the Statistica 10.0 software package.

Results. Irrespective of the nature of the tumor process (benign or malignant), a decrease in the P4 level by 2.7 to 9.1 times, but an increase in the content of cortisol by 1.3 to 3.7 times and T by 2.1 to 3.7 times were detected in the mitochondria of uterine tumors. Conversely, the concentration of E2 in the mitochondria of uterine fibroids exhibited an increase of 2.2 times compared to the indicators in the mitochondria of the intact uterus. No significant differences were observed in the mitochondria of EAC, while a decrease of 1.4 times was noted in the mi‑ tochondria of uterine sarcoma.

Conclusion. There is a change in the content of steroid hormones in In the mitochondria of uterine tumors, consisting in an increase in the concentrations of cortisol and testosterone and progesterone deficiency regardless of the type of pathology, but a relative or absolute defi‑ ciency of estrogens only in the mitochondria of malignant tumors. Changes in the steroid background of tumor mitochondria, compared with the mitochondria of the intact uterus, probably have a significant effect on both the energy balance of cells and the production of ROS, as well as on proliferative processes.

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