Figure 2

ERs expression and ERβ/ERα ratios in eutopic/ectopic endometrium following treatment with dienogest or leuprolide acetate. Total RNA was isolated from eutopic endometrial samples (Eutopic, n=17) obtained with biopsies performed during the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle in patients undergoing hysterectomy for uterine fibroids. Total RNA was also isolated from endometriotic samples obtained from females who did not receive medical treatment (Control, n=14) and endometriotic samples obtained from females treated with dienogest at a dose of 2 mg (Dienogest, n=13) or leuprolide acetate (LA, n=16). The total RNA was then reverse-transcribed. A: The relative expression ratio of the ERα gene was calculated in comparison to the GAPDH expression. B: The relative expression ratio of the ERβ gene was calculated in comparison to the GAPDH expression. C: For each experimental sample, the data are graphically illustrated as the ratio between the relative expressions of ERβ and ERα. The center lines indicate the median ratio. The columns and vertical bars indicate the 25–75 percentiles. Significant differences are indicated by an asterisk. *p<0.05, **p<0.01.