Induction of endometriosis and adenomyosis by transvaginal pituitary transplantation in mice with and without natural killer cell activity.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to establish a mouse model of endometriosis and adenomyosis and to elucidate the necessity of reduced natural killer (NK)-cell and T-cell activities in the establishment of endometriosis and adenomyosis.


METHODS
Pituitary glands, submandibular glands, a hypothalami were transvaginally inoculated into the uteri of syngeneic female mice. Twenty weeks later, the recipient mice were sacrificed and examined.


RESULTS
Cysts, adhesion of the uteri to surrounding tissues, and adenomyosis had formed in the uteri of 7 (29.2%), 14 (58.3%), and 22 (91.7%) mice, respectively, out of 24 BALB/c mice after the transplantation of pituitary glands. Similar findings were obtained by experiments with C3H/He and C57BL/6 mice. In NK-cell-deficient C57BL/6-bgJ and T-cell-deficient BALB/c nu/nu mice, an increase in the formation of cysts, adhesion, and adenomyosis was not observed.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that transvaginal pituitary transplantation specifically induces cysts, adhesion, and adenomyosis. Reduced NK-cell activities may not be necessary in the primary development of endometriosis and adenomyosis.
Koujyo
T
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
Hatakeyama
S
S
Yamada
H
H
Iwabuchi
K
K
Kajino
K
K
Ogasawara
K
K
Onoe
K
K
Fujimoto
S
S
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000637:transplantation*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D014599:Uterus / Q000473:pathology