Human Reproduction Update, Vol.2, No.5 pp.385-398, 1996
© European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology 1996; all rights reserved
The peritoneal environment in endometriosis
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520-8063, USA 0 Corresponding author
Abstract
The local environment of peritoneal fluid (PF) surrounding the endometriotic implant is immunologically dynamic and links the reproductive and immune systems. Peritoneal fluid contains a variety of free floating cells, including macrophages, mesothelial cells, lymphocytes, eosinophils and mast cells. Macrophages are attracted to the peritoneal environment more abundantly than any other cell type. These scavengers promote cellular growth and viability through secretion of growth factors and cytokines. It is now becoming evident that cytokines play an important role in reproduction at various levels, including gamete function, fertilization and embryo development, implantation and postimplantation survival of the conceptus. Peritoneal fluid has been shown to affect negatively ovum capture by the fimbria, sperm survival, spermatozoon-oocyte interaction and embryonic development. We have recently identified the presence of two pro-inflammatory chemoattractant cytokines for monocyte/macrophages (MCP-1) and for granulocytes (interleukin-8, IL-8) in the PF. Concentrations of both IL-8 and MCP-1 are not only elevated in PF of women with endometriosis compared to those without endometriosis, but they are related to the severity of the disease. Over the past 70 years, at least a dozen theories have been proposed to explain the histogenesis and aetiology of endometriosis. It appears that the aetiology is multifactorial, and today a composite theory of retrograde menstruation with implantation of endometrial fragments in conjunction with peritoneal factors to stimulate cell growth is the most widely accepted explanation for peritoneal endometriosis.
Keywords: cytokines/endometriosis/macrophage/peritoneal fluid
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  C. Carli, C. N. Metz, Y. Al-Abed, P. H. Naccache, and A. Akoum Up-Regulation of Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression and Prostaglandin E2 Production in Human Endometriotic Cells by Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor: Involvement of Novel Kinase Signaling Pathways Endocrinology, July 1, 2009; 150(7): 3128 - 3137. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K.J.A.F. van Kaam, J.P. Schouten, A.W. Nap, G.A.J. Dunselman, and P.G. Groothuis Fibromuscular differentiation in deeply infiltrating endometriosis is a reaction of resident fibroblasts to the presence of ectopic endometrium Hum. Reprod., December 1, 2008; 23(12): 2692 - 2700. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Y. Hirota, S. Tranguch, T. Daikoku, A. Hasegawa, Y. Osuga, Y. Taketani, and S. K. Dey Deficiency of Immunophilin FKBP52 Promotes Endometriosis Am. J. Pathol., December 1, 2008; 173(6): 1747 - 1757. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Defrere, J.C. Lousse, R. Gonzalez-Ramos, S. Colette, J. Donnez, and A. Van Langendonckt Potential involvement of iron in the pathogenesis of peritoneal endometriosis Mol. Hum. Reprod., July 1, 2008; 14(7): 377 - 385. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Z. Z. Zhao, D. R. Nyholt, L. Le, S. Thomas, C. Engwerda, L. Randall, S. A. Treloar, and G. W. Montgomery Genetic variation in tumour necrosis factor and lymphotoxin is not associated with endometriosis in an Australian sample Hum. Reprod., September 1, 2007; 22(9): 2389 - 2397. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. J. A. F. van Kaam, A. Romano, G. A. J. Dunselman, and P. G. Groothuis Transforming Growth Factor {beta}1 Gene Polymorphism 509C/T in Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis Reproductive Sciences, May 1, 2007; 14(4): 367 - 373. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Matsuzaki, M. Canis, J.-L. Pouly, R. Botchorishvili, P.J. Dechelotte, and G. Mage Both GnRH agonist and continuous oral progestin treatments reduce the expression of the tyrosine kinase receptor B and mu-opioid receptor in deep infiltrating endometriosis Hum. Reprod., January 1, 2007; 22(1): 124 - 128. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. R. Gonzalez, K. Leary, J. C. Petrozza, and P. C. Leavis Leptin regulation of the interleukin-1 system in human endometrial cells Mol. Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2003; 9(3): 151 - 158. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R.H.F. Hunter Tubal ectopic pregnancy: a patho-physiological explanation involving endometriosis Hum. Reprod., July 1, 2002; 17(7): 1688 - 1691. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Gazvani, P. Pakarinen, P. Fowler, S. Logan, and I. Huhtaniemi Lack of association of the common immunologically anomalous LH with endometriosis Hum. Reprod., June 1, 2002; 17(6): 1532 - 1534. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. A. Pritts, D. Zhao, E. Ricke, L. Waite, and R. N. Taylor PPAR-{gamma} Decreases Endometrial Stromal Cell Transcription and Translation of RANTES in Vitro J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 2002; 87(4): 1841 - 1844. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Kats, C. N. Metz, and A. Akoum Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Is Markedly Expressed in Active and Early-Stage Endometriotic Lesions J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 2002; 87(2): 883 - 889. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Akoum, C. Lawson, S. McColl, and M. Villeneuve Ectopic endometrial cells express high concentrations of interleukin (IL)-8 in vivo regardless of the menstrual cycle phase and respond to oestradiol by up-regulating IL-1-induced IL-8 expression in vitro Mol. Hum. Reprod., September 1, 2001; 7(9): 859 - 866. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Akoum, C. Jolicoeur, A. Kharfi, and M. Aube Decreased Expression of the Decoy Interleukin-1 Receptor Type II in Human Endometriosis Am. J. Pathol., February 1, 2001; 158(2): 481 - 489. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y. Yang, P. Degranpré, A. Kharfi, and A. Akoum Identification of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor as a Potent Endothelial Cell Growth-Promoting Agent Released by Ectopic Human Endometrial Cells J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., December 1, 2000; 85(12): 4721 - 4727. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Boucher, W. Mourad, J. Mailloux, A. Lemay, and A. Akoum Ovarian hormones modulate monocyte chemotactic protein-1 expression in endometrial cells of women with endometriosis Mol. Hum. Reprod., July 1, 2000; 6(7): 618 - 626. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. D. Blumenthal, M. Samoszuk, A. P. Taylor, G. Brown, R. Alisauskas, and D. M. Goldenberg Degranulating Eosinophils in Human Endometriosis Am. J. Pathol., May 1, 2000; 156(5): 1581 - 1588. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|