[Determination of interleukin-17 concentrations in peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of interleukin-17 (IL-17) in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.


METHODS
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the concentrations of IL-17 in peritoneal fluid of 36 patients with different stage endometriosis and 26 patients without endometriosis.


RESULTS
The concentrations of IL-17 in peritoneal fluid of the patients with and without endometriosis were (5.7 +/- 1.9) ng/L and (5.3 +/- 1.4) ng/L, respectively, without significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). According to staging criteria of r-AFS, the concentrations of peritoneal IL-17 in the patients with stage I-II endometriosis (6.4 +/- 1.7) ng/L were significantly higher than those in the patients with stage III-IV endometriosis (5.1 +/- 1.8) ng/L and in the patients without endometriosis (P < 0.05). There was no difference with regard to peritoneal IL-17 concentrations between proliferative and secretory phases in the patients with or without endometriosis (P > 0.05). The levels of peritoneal IL-17 were significantly higher in the endometriosis patients with infertility (6.4 +/- 1.8) ng/L than in the endometriosis patients without infertility (5.1 +/- 1.8) ng/L (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
IL-17 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of early endometriosis and pathophysiology of endometriosis-associated infertility.
Zhang
Xin-mei
XM
Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China.
Lin
Jun
J
Xu
Hong
H
Deng
Lin
L
Qian
Yu-li
YL
D000328:Adult; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
D020381:Interleukin-17