Haptoglobin expression by shed endometrial tissue fragments found in peritoneal fluid.
OBJECTIVE
To confirm the endometrial glandular epithelial and stromal cells in tissue fragments recovered from peritoneal fluid and to quantify haptoglobin expression.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized study.


METHODS
University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine and Health Care System.


METHODS
Women undergoing laparoscopic surgery for diagnosis or treatment of endometriosis or for laparoscopic tubal cautery for desired sterilization.


METHODS
Aspiration of peritoneal fluid at laparoscopic surgery.


METHODS
Histological confirmation of endometrial glandular epithelial and stromal cells and evaluation of haptoglobin gene expression and protein localization in shed endometrial tissue fragments recovered from peritoneal fluid.


RESULTS
More visible tissue fragments were found in the peritoneal fluid from women with endometriosis (n = 28/65) than from that of women without endometriosis (n = 5/34). Of these tissues, endometrial glands and stroma were histologically confirmed in about half of women with endometriosis (n = 13/28) and without endometriosis (n = 3/5). Retrogradely shed endometrial tissues recovered from peritoneal fluid robustly express haptoglobin.


CONCLUSIONS
Haptoglobin expression by retrogradely shed endometrial tissues in peritoneal fluid supports a mechanism whereby these purported precursors of endometriotic lesions escape immune destruction. Low recovery of histologically confirmed endometrial tissue fragments from peritoneal fluid reveals the potential difficulties for using these tissues for studies modeling the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
Sharpe-Timms
Kathy L
KL
Division of Reproductive and Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women's Health, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA. timmsk@health.missouri.edu
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies
D006242:Haptoglobins