Are there antiendometrial antibodies in sera of women with endometriosis?
OBJECTIVE
To identify and characterize the antiendometrial tissue specific antibody response in endometriosis patients.


METHODS
Retrospective.


METHODS
Industrial research laboratory.


METHODS
Twenty untreated women with laparoscopically diagnosed endometriosis, 10 healthy women without symptoms of endometriosis, 12 women in whom laparoscopy failed to yield evidence of endometriosis, 10 healthy men, and 4 individuals with elevated titers of serum antinuclear antibodies.


RESULTS
Several immunological methods have been employed including immunofluorescence, hemagglutination, enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assays, and protein blotting. Contrary to reports in the literature, results of these analyses have failed to demonstrate the presence of detectable levels of antiendometrial immunoreactivity in sera from patients with endometriosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The association of endometrial autoimmunity with endometriosis remains to be established.
Switchenko
A C
AC
Syva Company, Palo Alto, California 94304.
Kauffman
R S
RS
Becker
M
M
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000276:immunology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D001323:Autoantibodies