The role of humoral immunity in endometriosis.
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Endometriosis patients exhibit immune abnormalities, particularly autoantibodies, similar to those in unexplained infertility, and addressing these abnormalities can improve fertility.
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Abstract
In many ways endometriosis represents yet another form of unexplained infertility. The disease is clearly associated with a decrease in fecundity and while in advanced stages of the condition this infertility can be attributed to tubal factors, in mild stages of the disease the cause for the decrease in fertility is unknown. As in unexplained infertility, we have suggested that the impairment in fertility is due to autoantibody abnormalities. Endometriosis patients exhibit the same immunologic profile as previously described in women with unexplained infertility and repeated pregnancy loss. In fact, endometriosis is not only characterized by unexplained infertility but also by repeated and excessive pregnancy wastage. Its clinical presentation mimics that of an autoimmune disease, raising the question whether endometriosis is, in fact, an autoimmune disease. Endometriosis demonstrates immunologic abnormalities not only in respect to autoreactivity. Abnormalities in immune function have been widely reported in reference to almost any lymphocyte and macrophage function and, once again, the similarity to findings in patients with unexplained infertility is blatant. Abnormalities can be found in peripheral blood and especially prominently in peritoneal fluid. Treatment of immunologic abnormalities, and especially of autoantibody abnormalities, restores a level of fertility in endometriosis patients. It has also been demonstrated, in an animal model, that non-specific immune modulation may improve fertility.
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Cited by (17)
- Effect of human interferon-alpha-2b on experimental endometriosis in rats: comparison between short and long series of treatment 2013
- Regulação da resposta imune e endometriose 2008
- Targeting Mast Cells in Endometriosis with Janus Kinase 3 Inhibitor, JANEX‐1 2007
- Immunohistochemical study of HLA-DR antigen in endometrial tissue of patients with endometriosis 2002
- Endometriosis- A Systemic Disease? A Biochemical Investigation. 2001
- Peritoneal and Peripheral B‐1‐Cell Populations in Patients with Endometriosis 2000
- A preliminary immunopharmacological study of an antiendometriotic herbal medicine, Keishi-bukuryo-gan. 1998
- Serum concentrations of soluble human leukocyte class I antigens and of the soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in endometriosis: relationship with stage and non-pigmented peritoneal lesions 1998
- Artificial insemination by husband in unexplained infertility compared with infertility associated with peritoneal endometriosis 1998
- Interleukin-12 and Its Free p40 Subunit Regulate Immune Recognition of Endometrial Cells: Potential Role in Endometriosis<sup>1</sup> 1998
- Immunoblot Detection of Decreased Antibodies to Haptoglobin-Like Protein in the Serum of Infertile Women with or without Endometriosis1 1997
- Peritoneal Cellular Immunity and Endometriosis 1997
- Natural cytotoxicity and gnrh agonist administration in advanced endometriosis: positive modulation on natural killer activity 1996
- Successful glucocorticoid treatment for patients with abnormal autoimmunity on in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer 1996
- Increased levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 in the peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis 1996
- New aspects of pathogenesis of endometriosis 1996
- Immunological aspects of endometriosis 1995
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