Endometriotic Tissues Produce Immunosuppressive Factors

Abstract

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.

Effect of Culture Supernatants of Endometriotic Lesions, Uterine Endometrium and Peritoneum from Rats with Experimental Endometriosis on the Natural Killer Activity of Spleen Cells

“…When peritoneal tissues from intact rats were incubated for 24 h, the supernatant did not have any significant inhibitory effect on NK activity. These observations were consistent with our previous findings in women [12]. On the other hand, when endometriosis was experimentally induced in rats, it is possible that the peritoneum of the same endo metriosis rats produced significant amounts of factor(s) inhibiting NK activity.…”

“…These results suggest that not only the peritoneum from rats with experimental endo metriosis but also the peritoneum locally irritated by implantation of uterine serosa or silicone can produce immunosuppressive factor(s). These observations ob tained in the rat model for endometriosis are similar to those made in women with endometriosis [12,22]. There fore, this animal model for endometriosis can be used to further study the developmental mechanisms of endome triosis that cannot be adequately investigated in women.…”

“…The inhibitory effects were reduced to the level of the culture supernatant of endometrium from untreated model rats by treatment with danazol or buserelin (table 2). Similar observations have also been made in women with endometriosis [12]. Oosterlynck et al [10] demonstrated that the NK activity of peritoneal fluid lymphocytes is decreased in women with endome triosis.…”

“…During the past decade, numerous investigators have demonstrated that endome triosis is associated with changes in the immune system with alterations in both cell-mediated and humoral im munity being observed [6][7][8], Functions of peritoneal macrophages, lymphocytes and various cytokines in peri toneal fluids have been reported to be involved in the development of endometriosis [9][10][11]. In addition, we have demonstrated that endometriotic tissues produce immunosuppressive factors [12], However, relevance of the peritoneum, that is the site of implantation of endo metrial tissues, to the development of endometriosis has not been reported.…”

异常在位子宫内膜是内异症的病因吗？-在位内膜在内异症发病中的作用

“…The mechanisms that suppress NK cell activity may depend on eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis. Hirata et al found that cultured endometriosis tissue has inhibitory effects on the cytotoxic activity of NK cells [12]. The supernatants of cultured eutopic endometrial stromal cells had more suppressive effects on NK cell cytotoxicity than those from controls [13].…”