Autoimmune phenomena in infertile patients with endometriosis

Natural killer (NK) cell activity is characterized by the spontaneous capacity of lymphoid cells derived from nonimmunized hosts to recognize and lyse certain tumor cell lines, virus-infected cells and transplanted tumor cell lines. Endometriosis is characterized by implantation and proliferation of autologous ectopic tissue in the pelvic cavity. Therefore, we focused on examining NK cell activity in women with endometriosis. NK cell activity in peripheral blood from women with endometriosis was lower than in women without endometriosis. On the basis of this finding, we analyzed also the effect of peripheral sera of women with endometriosis on NK cell activity. In the presence of peripheral sera of women with endometriosis, NK cell activity was significantly suppressed as compared with the sera of women without endometriosis. The suppressive effect of sera of women with endometriosis on NK cell activity showed dose-dependent curves. These studies provide the speculation that natural immunity mediated by NK cells may modulate the development of endometrial implants.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decreased Natural Killer Cell Activity in Women with Endometriosis

Tanaka¹,

Sendo

Kawagoe³

et al. 1992

“…Most studies on cell-mediated immune systems associ ated with endometriosis have been focussed on effector cells (PBL) of patients with endometriosis [6][7][8]. How ever, there are few reports on responses of target cells to immune cells.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Endometriotic Tissues Produce Immunosuppressive Factors

Hirata

Kikuchi²,

Imaizumi³

et al. 1994

In order to study the possible role of the immune functions in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, effects of supernatants from endometrial and endometriotic tissue cultures on the natural killer (NK) activity were examined by determining the lymphocyte cytotoxicity toward an erythroleukemic cell line (K562). Endometrial and endometriotic tissues were obtained at the time of operation from patients with ectopic endometriosis or uterine myoma. The normal peritoneum and myoma tissues were used as controls. The supernatants obtained by culturing the ectopic endometriotic tissues for 24–48 h had significant (p < 0.01) suppressive effects on NK activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from a healthy woman, compared to the supernatants from the normal peritoneum and the myoma tissues. There was no significant difference between NK activities of PBL from patients with ectopic endometriosis and age-matched healthy women. However, the NK activity in patients with low NK status before surgery was significantly elevated after surgery while that in patients with normal NK status before surgery was not changed. Although PBL from the same healthy women could significantly lyse the endometrial cells, the ability was about-one-third the level at which they could lyse K562 cells. These results suggest that the immunosuppressive factors secreted by endometriotic tissues may be involved in the local implantation and development of ectopic endometriosis.

“…Even though the extent of cell-mediated immune dysfunc-tion is far from understood, specific defects in cellmediated immunity include: skin lest allergy to endometri al antigens [14], selective deficiency in cytotoxic T lympho cytes [10,12] and diminished specific natural-killer-cell activity [15], With respect to B-cell function, antiendometrial antigen antibodies have been demonstrated in the uterine endometrium as well as systemically [16][17][18]. Ab normal polyclonal B-ccll activation including a high activi ty of nonendometrial autoantibody has been suggested [19].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Local Immune Response in Infertile Patients with Minimal Endometriosis

Nomiyama

Hachisuga

Sou

et al. 1997

Objective: To evaluate the role of local immunity in women with minimal endometriosis. Methods: Uterine endometrium and endometrial implants were obtained simultaneously from 30 infertile women with minimal endometriosis and examined immunohistochemically using antibodies of T cell, B cell, macrophage, Langerhans cell, immunoglobulin (Ig)G and complement (C) 3d. Serum IgG, IgA, IgM, C3, C4, antinuclear antibody and anti-DNA antibody were also examined in 24 of the women. Data from uterine endometrium and serum were compared with 10 fertile women without endometriosis as a control. Results: Microscopic examination revealed that the endometrial implants were divided into two groups: group 1 (n = 13) showed lymphocytic infiltration in the endometrial implants and group 2 (n = 17) showed no or slight lymphocytic infiltration. The endometrial implants of group 1 showed significantly more dense T-cell infiltration than those of group 2. Other types of infiltrating cells and deposits of IgG and C3d revealed no significant differences between groups 1 and 2. The immunohistochemical examination of the uterine endometrium and the serum data revealed no significant differences among all three groups. Cumulative pregnancy rates showed no significant difference between groups 1 and 2. Conclusion: The difference of local immune response in endometrial implants did not affect systemic immunity.