Increase in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)- and CD56+ cell-mediated killing of endometrial stromal cells by mycobacteria; a possible role in endometriosis immunotherapy?
BACKGROUND
Immunological therapies have shown promising results in the treatment of endometriosis. Mycobacteria are one of the most common immune therapies used in other diseases. We have assessed the effects of mycobacteria in altering the ability of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and natural killer (NK) cells to kill endometrial stromal cells using an in vitro model. This may have implications in the immunotherapy of endometriosis.


METHODS
Primary cultures of endometrial stromal cells were grown from female patients and PBMCs were extracted from healthy female volunteers. Effector cells (PBMCs or NK cells) were exposed to varying concentrations of mycobacteria before their ability to kill cultured endometrial cells was tested using a 51Cr-release assay.


RESULTS
Treatment of effector cells with the Connaught Substrain Bacillus of Calmette and Guérin (BCG) led to increased killing of target cells by PBMCs and NK cells. The optimal concentration for treatment of effector cells with Connaught BCG was approximately 0.1 multiplicities of infection (m.o.i.). There was a trend towards increased killing after treatment with Pasteur BCG. CD56+ (NK) cells treated with BCG at 0.1 m.o.i. showed increased killing of target cells compared with untreated effector cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Endometrial stromal cells are susceptible to killer cells activated by mycobacteria. This in vitro work suggests a possible role for mycobacteria in the immunotherapy of endometriosis.
Clayton
R D
RD
Applied Immunology Laboratory, Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK. claytonrd@hotmail.com
Duffy
S R
SR
Wilkinson
N
N
Garry
R
R
Jackson
A M
AM
D000328:Adult; D001691:Biological Therapy; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism
D019002:CD56 Antigen; D014746:Vimentin; D007633:Keratins