Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor in adenomyosis and autologous endometrium.
OBJECTIVE
Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has been related to macrophage recruitment and activation and has been identified in the human endometrium. We determined whether adenomyosis expresses GM-CSF, and if present, compared GM-CSF protein expression in adenomyosis with that in autologous endometrium.


METHODS
We examined ectopic and eutopic endometrium from 16 premenopausal women who had hysterectomies for abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic pain, or uterine prolapse. Serial sections of premenopausal uteri containing endometrium and adenomyosis were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for GM-CSF ligand and receptor and CD68 macrophages. We analyzed the intensity of staining for GM-CSF ligand and receptor and macrophages in the glandular epithelium and stroma of adenomyosis and autologous endometrium.


RESULTS
The GM-CSF ligand localized primarily in the glandular epithelium and myometrium with only light stromal staining. Staining for GM-CSF ligand was significantly higher in adenomyotic glands compared with autologous endometrial glands (P = .002), especially during the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle. There were no statistical differences in the amount and intensity of staining of the GM-CSF receptor in adenomyosis and autologous endometrium. Adenomyotic tissue contained significantly more macrophages than matched autologous endometrium (P = .0004).


CONCLUSIONS
Adenomyotic glandular epithelium had greater expression of the GM-CSF ligand compared with autologous endometrium from premenopausal women, which indicates that GM-CSF may play a role in increasing the levels of activated macrophages in women with adenomyosis.
Propst
Anthony M
AM
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Division of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. anthony.propst@59mdw.whmc.af.mil
Quade
Bradley J
BJ
Nowak
Romana A
RA
Stewart
Elizabeth A
EA
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000032:analysis; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000737:chemistry*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D017697:Premenopause; D016187:Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000032:analysis; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D016187:Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule