title: Autoreactivity in women with endometriosis.
abstract: Serum samples from 71 patients with laparoscopically staged endometriosis and from 109 age-matched non-pregnant control women were tested for antibodies to nuclear, phospholipid, smooth muscle and sperm antigens. Immunoglobulin G, M and A and complement components C3 and C4 were measured. Prevalence of the following autoantibodies was statistically significantly greater in women with endometriosis than in the control group: antinuclear antibodies, antibodies to ribonucleoproteins, smooth muscle antibodies, lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibody. Forty-one women with endometriosis (58%) had some type of autoantibody compared with 13 controls (12%). More women in the endometriosis group had IgG and IgM levels above the normal range. This was statistically significant for IgG in women with grade 3 and for IgM in those with grade 4 endometriosis, IgG levels were significantly higher in antibody-positive women with endometriosis than in the control group. Immunoglobulin and complement component levels tended to have a positive correlation with stage of disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Leeds General Infirmary, University of Leeds.
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Maloney
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Skerrow
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Nip
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parmar
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tate
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D002308:Cardiolipins / Q000276:immunology; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000032:analysis; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000276:immunology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D001323:Autoantibodies; D002308:Cardiolipins; D003176:Complement C3; D003181:Complement C4; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M