Cohort study, 2008
What makes the lining of the womb break down at the start of a period?
This lab study suggests a protein called CYR61 rises just before and during a period, pushed up by low oxygen and certain inflammation chemicals, which may help trigger the womb lining to shed. It is basic lab biology, not a test in women with symptoms, so it cannot say this is the full cause.
What they did
Researchers measured CYR61 levels in human womb lining tissue across the menstrual cycle, and separately exposed human endometrial cells in a dish to low oxygen and inflammation-related chemicals (IL-1, TNFalpha, prostaglandin E2 and prostaglandin F2alpha) to see what controls CYR61.
What they found
CYR61 was raised at two points in the cycle: the proliferative phase and in menstrual flow. Low oxygen conditions increased CYR61 mRNA and protein, acting through a factor called HIF1alpha. TNFalpha, prostaglandin E2 and prostaglandin F2alpha also changed CYR61 levels. Prostaglandin E2 combined with low oxygen boosted CYR61 even more, but TNFalpha combined with low oxygen cancelled out the increase.
What it means for you
This is a cell and tissue lab study, not research on women with PMS or PMDD, and no treatment was tested in people. It adds to the basic science of how periods start at a molecular level but has no direct, practical takeaway for managing symptoms yet.
About the study
- Original title
- Premenstrual regulation of the pro-angiogenic factor CYR61 in human endometrium
- Authors
- Gashaw I, Stiller S, Böing C et al.
- Journal
- Endocrinology
- Year
- 2008
- Study design
- Cohort study
- What was tested
- No treatment tested in people; cells were exposed in the lab to low oxygen, IL-1, TNFalpha, prostaglandin E2 and prostaglandin F2alpha
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1210/en.2007-1568