Endometrial and peritoneal macrophages: expression of activation and adhesion molecules.
OBJECTIVE
Macrophages are highly individualized in tissues and their activities are a reflection of systemic and local environmental signals. The expression of activation (CD69, CD71) and adhesion (CD54) molecules on the surface of CD14+ endometrial macrophages at various phases of the menstrual cycle was compared with the cell surface receptors of peritoneal fluid macrophages.


METHODS
Two-colour-flow cytometry was used to determine the peritoneal and endometrial macrophage phenotype.


RESULTS
Endometrium macrophages expressed a lower level of CD69+ and CD54+ macrophages than peritoneal macrophages. However, CD71 receptors displayed similar expression in both macrophage populations, endometrium and peritoneal, except during the proliferative phase.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings demonstrate the differences between macrophages from endometrium and peritoneal fluid with regard to CD69, CD71 and CD54 expression. In addition, increased numbers of endometrial macrophages in the late secretory phase of the menstrual cycle suggest that they may play a role in menstruation.
Department of Molecular Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Vilnius, Lithuania. elza@takas.lt
Audrone
A
Eidukaite
Vytas
V
Tamosiunas
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology*; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000276:immunology*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000276:immunology; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D000099192:CD69 Antigens; C068126:CD71 antigen