Moderate and severe endometriosis is associated with alterations in the cell cycle of granulosa cells in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether folliculogenesis is impaired in patients with endometriosis.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Yamagata University School of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan.


METHODS
Thirty women participating in an IVF program.


METHODS
The patients were divided into four groups according to the cause of their infertility: tubal factor (T), n = 7; male factor (M), n = 7; idiopathic (I), n = 7; and endometriosis (E), n = 9. Granulosa cells were obtained from the follicular fluid of each patient and analyzed by flow cytometry.


METHODS
The percentage of granulosa cells in each cell-cycle stage.


RESULTS
The mean (+/- SD) rate of apoptosis in the granulosa cells obtained from the patients with endometriosis was the highest among the four groups (T = 11.7% +/- 3.3%; M = 5.6% +/- 3.8%; I = 9.6% +/- 5.1%; and E = 18.6% +/- 9.6%). The percentage of S-phase granulosa cells was significantly higher in the patients with endometriosis than in all the other patients combined (E = 12.5% +/- 6%; T + M + I = 9.3% +/- 2.9%). The percentage of G2/M-phase granulosa cells was significantly lower in the endometriosis group than in the other three groups combined (E = 2.3% +/- 2.5%; T + M + I = 4.6% +/- 2.1%).


CONCLUSIONS
Endometriosis impairs the cell cycle in granulosa cells. This phenomenon may have a detrimental effect on folliculogenesis.
Toya
M
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Japan. mtoya@med.id.yamagata-u.ac.jp
Saito
H
H
Ohta
N
N
Saito
T
T
Kaneko
T
T
Hiroi
M
M
D000328:Adult; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D007248:Infertility, Male; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013256:Steroids / Q000097:blood
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D013256:Steroids; D004247:DNA