An association of IgG anti-laminin-1 autoantibodies with endometriosis in infertile patients. Hum Reprod 18:544–549

BACKGROUND: Laminin-1, a multifunctional glycoprotein of the basement membrane, is thought to be important in embryogenesis, embryonic implantation, and placentation. We recently showed that serum IgG anti-laminin-1 autoantibodies (auto-Abs) are associated with recurrent ®rst-trimester miscarriages. The present study assessed the clinical signi®cance of anti-laminin-1 Abs with infertility, accompanied with or without endometriosis. METHODS: Sixty-eight infertile patients who underwent laparoscopy or laparotomy and 39 healthy non-pregnant women were tested for IgG anti-laminin-1 Abs. The association between the Abs and endometriosis was analysed. The presence of laminin-1 mRNA was detected in endometriotic lesions. RESULTS: Twenty infertile patients were positive for anti-laminin-1 Abs. The Ab levels in those patients were signi®cantly higher than those in healthy non-pregnant women (P = 0.0005). The presence of the Abs was signi®cantly associated with endometriosis in those patients (P = 0.0096). The Abs recognized a particular domain, i.e., the laminin-a1 chain G domain. mRNA encoding laminin-a1,-b1, and-g1 chains was expressed in 90 % of endometriotic lesions. CONCLUSIONS: IgG anti-laminin-1 Abs were signi®cantly associated with endometriosis in infertile patients. The Abs might be clinically important in the development