Plasma cells in chronic endometritis are easily identified when stained with syndecan-1.
BACKGROUND
Chronic endometritis has been observed in 3-10% of women with irregular uterine bleeding who undergo endometrial biopsy. The diagnosis of chronic endometritis rests on the recognition of plasma cells in endometrial tissue that may show a prominent spindle cell stromal component, and is frequently difficult to date. Syndecan-1 is a cell-surface proteoglycan that is expressed on the cell surface of plasma cells.


METHODS
Eighteen endometrial curettage cases with the diagnosis of chronic endometritis and 25 endometrial curettage cases of dysfunctional uterine bleeding, in females under the age of thirty-five in whom no other histopathologic changes were noted, were reviewed for the presence of plasma cells. Sections were then stained with syndecan-1.


RESULTS
All of the chronic endometritis cases showed easily visible syndecan-1 staining of plasma cell membranes. None of the cases of dysfunctional uterine bleeding showed presence of plasma cells in either the hematoxylin and eosin stained or syndecan-1 stained sections.


CONCLUSIONS
In cases of suspected chronic endometritis in which no plasma cells can be found on hematoxylin and eosin stained slides, syndecan-1 may be an effective adjunct in the identification of plasma cells and thus aid in the diagnosis of chronic endometritis.
Bayer-Garner
I B
IB
Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA.
Korourian
S
S
D002908:Chronic Disease; D004716:Endometritis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000032:analysis*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D053668:Syndecan-1; D053667:Syndecans
D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011509:Proteoglycans; C508241:SDC1 protein, human; D053668:Syndecan-1; D053667:Syndecans