[Changes of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-6 levels in peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis and their effects on human sperm motility and mouse embryo development].
OBJECTIVE
To study the changes of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis and their effects on human sperm motility and mouse embryo development.


METHODS
Levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in peritoneal fluid and cultured peritoneal macrophages supernatant were detected by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) in 14 infertile patients (EMT group) with endometriosis proven by laparoscopy and 11 infertile women with normal pelvic organs (control group). The effects of peritoneal fluids obtained from the 2 groups on human sperm motility and development of 2-cell mouse embryo were also studied in vitro.


RESULTS
In EMT group the numbers of peritoneal macrophages were higher than those in the control group. Levels of TNF-alpha [(0.33 +/- 0.15), (7.19 +/- 0.60) micrograms/L] and IL-6 [(0.49 +/- 0.68), (1.51 +/- 0.08) micrograms/L] in peritoneal fluid and peritoneal macrophage supernatant were also elevated significantly as compared with those in the controls (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, after four-hour incubation with peritoneal fluids, the percentage of straight-line moving sperm and total sperm motility rate were decreased significantly in EMT group(P < 0.01). Appearance rate of 16-cell mouse embryo was 32.5% in EMT group versus 47.6% in control group after 48 hour coculture with peritoneal fluids(P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
It is likely that elevation of peritoneal fluids cytokines levels in patients with endometriosis may play a role in the pathogenesis of infertility associated with endometriosis.
Liu
Y
Y
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical University, Wuhan 430022, China.
Luo
L
L
Zhao
H
H
D000818:Animals; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D013081:Sperm Motility; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha