Regression of endometrial explants in a rat model of endometriosis treated with the immune modulators loxoribine and levamisole.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of the immune modulators levamisole and loxoribine in a rat model of endometriosis.


METHODS
Prospective, placebo-controlled study.


METHODS
Hospital-based research facility.


METHODS
Nineteen rats with experimentally induced endometriosis.


METHODS
Rats were treated with three weekly intraperitoneal injections of levamisole (2 mg per rat; n = 6), loxoribine (1 mg per rat; n = 6), or saline (control; n = 7) and killed 8 weeks after treatment.


METHODS
Histologic and immunohistochemical analysis of endometriotic explants.


RESULTS
The loxoribine-treated group showed marked regression of both epithelial and stromal components. Epithelial regression was noted in the control group, but the epithelium was strikingly preserved in the levamisole group. There were significantly greater numbers of dendritic cells in the explants of animals treated with loxoribine and levamisole. The number of natural killer cells was significantly reduced in loxoribine-treated explants.


CONCLUSIONS
Loxoribine, a potent immunomodulatory drug, appeared to cause regression in both stromal and epithelium components in a rat model of endometriosis. Further, specific cell-mediated immune responses in this model of endometriosis were elucidated.
Keenan
J A
JA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville 37920-6999, USA.
Williams-Boyce
P K
PK
Massey
P J
PJ
Chen
T T
TT
Caudle
M R
MR
Bukovsky
A
A
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006151:Guanosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000473:pathology; D007978:Levamisole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000473:pathology
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D006151:Guanosine; D007978:Levamisole; C068562:loxoribine