The peritoneal fluid levels of interleukin-12 in women with endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is produced mainly by monocytes/macrophages, and it induces proliferation and cytotoxicity of T-cells and natural killer cells. In women with endometriosis, natural killer cell activity in the peritoneal fluid is significantly decreased. We aimed to measure the peritoneal fluid level of IL-12 in endometriosis.


METHODS
We measured IL-12 levels in peritoneal fluid samples from women with or without endometriosis and in supernatants from endometrial stromal, ovarian stromal, and mesothelial cell cultures, using a high-sensitivity enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
The median concentration of IL-12 in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis was 1.1 pg/ml (range, 0.2-5.5) and was 1.6 pg/ml (range, 0.4-2.8) in women without endometriosis, not a statistically significant difference. IL-12 was not detected in the supernatants of endometrial stromal, ovarian stromal, and mesothelial cell cultures.


CONCLUSIONS
Concentrations of IL-12 in the peritoneal fluid of women with or without endometriosis are low, but they are detectable and are not affected significantly by the presence of endometriosis.
Zeyneloglu
H B
HB
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-8063, USA.
Senturk
L M
LM
Seli
E
E
Bahtiyar
O M
OM
Olive
D L
DL
Arici
A
A
D000328:Adult; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000276:immunology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism*; D010053:Ovary / Q000276:immunology
D018664:Interleukin-12