Immunology study on rat model of endometriosis

To study the changes in the number and activity of natural killer(NK) cell using an endometriosis rat model and whether the abnormal immune reaction in the model rat can be transferred to normal rat. An endometriosis model was prepared using 8 weeks old female rats by grafting a small section of one uterine horn onto the mesentery, followed by removal of the spleen and the remaining uterine horn 4 weeks later. Splenocytes of the model rats were injected to the normal rats via the tail vein. NK cell activity was assayed 4 days later. The uterus was investigated immunohistochemically for immune cells. There were 4 groups: untreated control group(group A), control-splenocyte injection group(group B), endometriosis model group(group C) and endometriosis model splenocyte injection group(group D). NK cell activity decreased in group C to 42% of group A and to 39% in group D. The number of NK cells in group C and D decreased to 62% and 55% of group A, respectively.