Tumor necrosis factor-alpha but not interleukin-1 beta or interleukin-8 concentrations correlate with angiogenic activity of peritoneal fluid from patients with minimal to mild endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the angiogenic activity of peritoneal fluid in women with minimal to mild endometriosis and to investigate the relationship between this activity and the concentration of macrophage-derived angiogenic factors and clinical variables, such as phase of menstrual cycle, type of lesion, and revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine classification.


METHODS
In vivo bioassay.


METHODS
Tertiary-care university medical center.


METHODS
Fifty-two female volunteers with laparoscopic findings indicating minimal to mild endometriosis.


METHODS
Peritoneal fluid was collected at the start of laparoscopy. A standard amount of peritoneal fluid was applied to a chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay.


METHODS
Angiogenic response was assessed by determining the vascular density index.


RESULTS
85% of the peritoneal fluid samples induced angiogenesis in the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane bioassay. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and total protein were significantly related to the vascular density index, whereas interleukin-1beta, interleukin-8, and clinical variables appeared to not affect the angiogenic response.


CONCLUSIONS
The results confirms previous findings of peritoneal fluid angiogenic activity in women with minimal to mild endometriosis and indicate involvement of tumor necrosis factor-alpha.
Maas
J W
JW
Research Institute Growth and Development (GROW), Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Academisch Ziekenhuis Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands. jmaa@sgyn.azm.nl
Calhaz-Jorge
C
C
ter Riet
G
G
Dunselman
G A
GA
de Goeij
A F
AF
Struijker-Boudier
H A
HA
D000328:Adult; D000481:Allantoin / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001202:Ascitic Fluid; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002823:Chorion / Q000378:metabolism; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism*; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008566:Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D007375:Interleukin-1; D016209:Interleukin-8; D011506:Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000481:Allantoin