title: Immunohistochemical localization of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in matched endometriosis and endometrial tissues.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Murine endometrial granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor has been related to macrophage recruitment and activation and postulated to mediate reproductive events. This study was designed to determine whether granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor is present in normal human endometrium or endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor was immunohistochemically evaluated in matched endometrial and endometriosis biopsy specimens (n = 19) and endometrial biopsy specimens from disease-free patients (n = 8). Staining differences were determined with McNemar's, Fisher's, and Wilcoxon's tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor was primarily localized in endometrial and endometriotic epithelial cells. Expression (p = 0.71) and staining intensity (p = 0.37) was similar in matched proliferative-phase endometrium and endometriosis. Matched secretory-phase endometrium and endometriosis also expressed granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in similar proportions (p = 0.12), but staining intensity was enhanced in secretory endometriosis compared with secretory endometrium (p = 0.05). Endometrial granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor did not vary throughout the menstrual cycle, but endometriotic expression (p = 0.013) and staining intensity (p = 0.008) were significantly greater in the secretory phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor is localized in endometrial and endometriotic epithelial cells with increased expression in secretory-phase endometriosis. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor may elicit migration, proliferation, and activation of endometrial and peritoneal macrophages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Missouri, Columbia 65212.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Sharpe-Timms
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Penney
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Bickel
mesh_terms: D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D015588:Observer Variation
chemical_list: D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor