Leukocyte subpopulations and natural killer activity in endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate cell-mediated immunity in endometriosis.

DESIGN

Peritoneal fluid and peripheral blood samples from 19 women with macroscopic evidence of endometriosis and 26 controls were submitted to 2-color flow cytometric analysis to assess lymphocyte subsets, using various combinations of monoclonal antibodies. K562 cells were used in a routine assay by 51Cr release to measure the cytotoxicity of NK cells in the subjects' peripheral blood.

RESULTS

Suppressor T-cells were significantly increased and cytotoxic T-cells significantly decreased in both peritoneal fluid and peripheral blood of the women with endometriosis. NK activity in peripheral blood was decreased in endometriosis patients as compared with controls.

CONCLUSION

An alteration in cell-mediated immunity may be among the pathogenetic, or developing, factors in endometriosis.