Heparin-sepharose binding growth factors in peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize and to purify the growth substances for mouse embryo fibroblasts (NIH/3T3) and endometrial-like cells of the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis.

DESIGN

A pool of 102 mL of peritoneal fluid (PF) collected from 24 women with laparoscopic evidence of endometriosis was dialyzed and thereafter chromatographed onto carboxymethyl (CM)-sepharose, heparin-sepharose, cartridges of C18 silica, and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (reverse-phase HPLC). Mitogenic activity throughout various steps of chromatography was monitored by the increase of the (3H)-thymidine incorporation into NIH/3T3 fibroblasts and enzymatically isolated epithelial cells of rabbit endometrium.

RESULTS

Peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis contained mitogen(s) for NIH/3T3 fibroblasts that were retained on and eluted from CM-sepharose, heparin-sepharose, cartridges of C18 silica, and reverse-phase HPLC columns performed sequentially. Mitogenic material purified 2,500-fold exerted bioactivity on NIH/3T3 and the enzymatically isolated epithelial cells from rabbit endometrium.

CONCLUSION

Peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis contains heparin-binding growth factors that can be purified by sequential chromatography on CM-sepharose, heparin-sepharose, and reverse-phase HPLC columns. The presence in the PF of potent mitogens for fibroblasts and endometrium-derived epithelial cells could play an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.