[Expression of major histocompatibility complex-class I antigen on endometrial stroma cells in patients with endometriosis].
OBJECTIVE
To study the possible effect of major histocompatibility complex-class I (MHC-I) antigen on endometrial stromal cells in endometriosis patients.


METHODS
The stromal cells of endometrium was separated and cultured in vitro. gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN) was added to modulate the MHC-I antigen level which was assessed by flowcytometry, and the sensitivity of endometrial stromal cells to cytotoxic lymphocytes was examined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT).


RESULTS
Our study demonstrated that in vitro cultured stromal cells with significant reduced MHC-I antigen levels showed enhanced susceptibility to lysis (51.28%) mediated by lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells, whereas gamma-IFN treated in vitro cultured stromal cells with restored MHC-I antigen levels showed more resistance to lysis (28.64%).


CONCLUSIONS
MHC-I antigen on endometrial stromal cells may inhibit the cytotoxicity of natural killer (NK) cells and NK-like T cells, which might play a key role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. The level of MHC-I antigen could be regulated by culture or some biologic factors such as gamma-IFN.
Xin
Y
Y
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences, 400016 Chongqing, China.
Xu
X
X
Ling
H
H
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000276:immunology
D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D007371:Interferon-gamma