Korean J Fertil Steril.  2000 Mar;27(1):91-98.

A study of Cytokine in Peritoneal Fluid of Infertile Patients with Endometriosis

• Kang JB
• Park JY
• Kim B
• Kim SJ
• Sohn WS
• Kim HT
• Jang PR

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The presence of the various cytokines in human peritoneal fluid has been evaluated incompletely. Changes in cytokine lefels may be related to activation of peritoneal macrophage and T-lymphocyte, development of endometriosis, and infertility. This study assesses peritoneal fluid levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in infertile women with endometriosis and normal women without endometriosis. Design : Prospective and case-control study in university hospital.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Cytokine levels in peritoneal fluid obtained during laparotomy or laparoscopy from 21 patients in infertile patients in infertile patients with endometriosis and 24 controls undergoing laparotomy or laparoscopy with no evidence of pelvic endometriosis were determined by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay.
RESULTS
The mean levels of interleukin-6 in infertile patients with endometriosis and controls were 72.7+/-23.7 pg/ml and 18.5+/-9.7 pg/ml respectively (p=0.02). Similarly, the mean levels of interleukin-8 in infertile patients with endometriosis was significantly higher than that of controls (445.0+/-89.6, vs 45.1+/-48.4, p=0.04). The mean concentration of interleukin-10 in infertile patients with endometriosis was significantly lower than that of controls (1.09+/-0.04 vs 2.19+/-0.03, p=0.03). The level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha was not significantly different between the two study groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Increased IL-6 and IL-8 and decreased IL-10 levels in the peritoneal fluid may be related to pathogenesis in the endometriosis and infertility, suggesting that partially contribute to the disturbed immune regulation observed in infertili women with endometriosis.

MeSH Terms

Ascitic Fluid*
Case-Control Studies
Cytokines
Endometriosis*
Female
Humans
Infertility
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-6
Interleukin-8
Laparoscopy
Laparotomy
Macrophages, Peritoneal
Prospective Studies
T-Lymphocytes
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Cytokines
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-6
Interleukin-8
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha