Bulmer J N, Jones R K, Searle R F
Department of Pathology, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, The Medical School, UK.
Hum Reprod. 1998 Oct;13(1O):2910-5. doi: 10.1093/humrep/13.10.2910.
Intraepithelial leukocytes (IEL) are recognized as an important component of most mucosal surfaces but have received scant attention in the human female reproductive tract. The aim of the present study was to characterize, quantify and compare IEL populations in normal endometrium (n = 30) and in eutopic and ectopic (endometriotic or adenomyotic lesions) endometrium from women with endometriosis (n = 30) or adenomyosis (n = 15) at different menstrual cycle phases in order to assess the role of IEL in these common but poorly understood disorders. IEL populations were examined in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections using a streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique and quantified in relation to epithelial cell numbers. IEL in control endometrium and eutopic endometrium in endometriosis and adenomyosis varied during the menstrual cycle, with CD45+, CD43+ and CD56+ cells increasing from the proliferative to the late secretory phase. IEL were elevated in surface compared with glandular epithelium in the proliferative and early secretory phases. Throughout the menstrual cycle there were no significant differences in IEL between eutopic and ectopic endometrium in adenomyosis. Endometriotic foci, however, contained elevated levels of CD45+, CD3+ and CD8+ cells and reduced numbers of CD56 + cells compared with the corresponding eutopic endometrium and these did not vary with menstrual cycle phase. In contrast, ectopic endometrium in adenomyosis showed some cyclical changes with CD56+ cells increasing significantly in the late secretory phase. It is possible these differences may play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis and the associated complications.
上皮内白细胞（IEL）被认为是大多数黏膜表面的重要组成部分，但在人类女性生殖道中却很少受到关注。本研究的目的是对正常子宫内膜（n = 30）以及患有子宫内膜异位症（n = 30）或子宫腺肌病（n = 15）的女性在不同月经周期阶段的在位内膜和异位（子宫内膜异位症或子宫腺肌病病变）内膜中的IEL群体进行表征、定量和比较，以评估IEL在这些常见但了解甚少的疾病中的作用。使用链霉亲和素-生物素-过氧化物酶复合物技术在福尔马林固定、石蜡包埋的切片中检查IEL群体，并相对于上皮细胞数量进行定量。对照子宫内膜以及子宫内膜异位症和子宫腺肌病中的在位内膜中的IEL在月经周期中有所变化，CD45 +、CD43 +和CD56 +细胞从增殖期到分泌晚期增加。在增殖期和分泌早期，表面的IEL高于腺上皮。在整个月经周期中，子宫腺肌病的在位内膜和异位内膜之间的IEL没有显著差异。然而，与相应的在位内膜相比，子宫内膜异位症病灶中CD45 +、CD3 +和CD8 +细胞水平升高，CD56 +细胞数量减少，并且这些细胞数量不随月经周期阶段而变化。相比之下，子宫腺肌病的异位内膜表现出一些周期性变化，CD56 +细胞在分泌晚期显著增加。这些差异可能在子宫内膜异位症的发病机制及相关并发症中起作用。
