Animal Reproductive Biology Group

Kathy Sharpe-Timms

Professor
Animal Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health

Phone: 573-882-6403
E-mail: TimmsK@health.missouri.edu
Address: N624 Health Sciences Center

Education

B.S., Southern Illinois University
M.S., Southern Illinois University
Ph.D., University of Tennessee
Postdoc, University of Kentucky

Research Focus

Endometriosis

Research Description

Sharpe-Timms' major research emphasis involves studies of the etiology and pathophysiology of endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a disease that causes debilitating pain and loss of fertility in women, yet the mechanism by which this disease exerts these pathogenicities is unknown.

Although histologically similar to uterine endometrium, endometriotic tissue is biochemically different from its uterine counterpart in a variety of fashions. The altered biochemical characteristics of the endometriotic tissue may be involved with anomalies of the immune system, ovulation, fertilization and implantation, which have all been implicated as causes of endometriosis-associated infertility.

Initially using a rat model for endometriosis and subsequently using human endometrial and endometriotic tissues plus a novel cell culture model, Sharpe-Timms has identified three unique proteins. Two endometriosis-associated proteins, ENDO-I and ENDO-II, may be useful as serum markers of endometriosis and have a role in the pathophysiology of the disease.

Sharpe-Timms has also shown that endometriotic lesions misexpress matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) as compared to uterine endometrium.

Ultimately, these studies may lead to improved diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic methods for the management of endometrial function and the disease endometriosis.

Recent Publications

Sharpe-Timms KL.
Defining endometrial cells: the need for improved identification at ectopic sites and characterization in eutopic sites for developing novel methods of management for endometriosis. Fertil Steril. 2005 Jul;84(1):35-7; discussion 38-9. PMID: 16009152
Sharpe-Timms KL.
Haptoglobin expression by shed endometrial tissue fragments found in peritoneal fluid. Fertil Steril. 2005 Jul;84(1):22-30. PMID: 16009149
Sutovsky P, Manandhar G, Laurincik J, Letko J, Caamano JN, Day BN, Lai L, Prather RS, Sharpe-Timms KL, Zimmer R, Sutovsky M.
Expression and proteasomal degradation of the major vault protein (MVP) in mammalian oocytes and zygotes. Reproduction. 2005 Mar;129(3):269-82. PMID: 15749954
Sharpe-Timms KL, Young SL.
Understanding endometriosis is the key to successful therapeutic management. Fertil Steril. 2004 May;81(5):1201-3. PMID: 15136076
Piva M, Moreno JI, Sharpe-Timms KL.
Glycosylation and over-expression of endometriosis-associated peritoneal haptoglobin. Glycoconj J. 2002 Jan;19(1):33-41. PMID: 12652078
Sharpe-Timms KL, Zimmer RL, Ricke EA, Piva M, Horowitz GM.
Endometriotic haptoglobin binds to peritoneal macrophages and alters their function in women with endometriosis. Fertil Steril. 2002 Oct;78(4):810-9. PMID: 12372461
Barrier BF, Sharpe-Timms KL.
Expression of soluble adhesion molecules in sera of women with stage III and IV endometriosis. J Soc Gynecol Investig. 2002 Mar-Apr;9(2):98-101. PMID: 11963839
Sharpe-Timms KL.
Using rats as a research model for the study of endometriosis. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2002 Mar;955:318-27; discussion 340-2, 396-406. Review. PMID: 11949958
Sharpe-Timms KL, Cox KE.
Paracrine regulation of matrix metalloproteinase expression in endometriosis. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2002 Mar;955:147-56; discussion 157-8, 396-406. PMID: 11949944
Sharpe-Timms KL.
Endometrial anomalies in women with endometriosis. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2001 Sep;943:131-47. Review. PMID: 11594534
A complete list of publications for KL Sharpe-Timms in PubMed