[The role of the peritoneal macrophage in infertility associated with endometriosis--animal experiment].

In this study, the role of the peritoneal macrophage (M phi) in the infertility of endometriosis patients was investigated through clinical and animal experiments. In addition, the effect of prednisolone as a treatment of infertility caused by endometriosis was evaluated in animal experiments. The number of M phi and the level of IL-1 in the peritoneal fluid were measured. The results showed that the number of M phi and the level of IL-1 increased in 1/3 of patients with endometriosis. Next, the effect of M phi and IL-1 on the pregnancy rate and the number of conceptions was studied in animal experiments. The conception rate and littler number significantly decreased when M phi increased in the animal peritoneal cavity after injection of OK-432. In the experiment with IL-1 injection into the peritoneal cavity, similar results were obtained, and in the group of animal with suppression of M phi function due to prednisolone administration, both of the rate of pregnancy and the number of litters increased remarkably. It can therefore be assumed that the mechanism of infertility in women with endometriosis is associated with peritoneal M phi, or, more specifically, with M phi-produced IL-1.