Regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 in follicular fluid accumulate differentially in patients with and without endometriosis undergoing in vitro fertilization.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the amount of regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) in follicular fluid (FF) of patients with and without endometriosis and to determine their oocyte fertilization and pregnancy rates.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Luebeck, Germany.


METHODS
Thirty-two women with endometriosis stages I-IV and 28 women without endometriosis, both groups surgically and histologically confirmed.


METHODS
Diagnostic laparoscopy, IVF-ET.


METHODS
RANTES and MCP-1 levels in follicular fluid, measured by ELISA, and oocyte fertilization and pregnancy rates.


RESULTS
Follicular response and days of gonadotropin stimulation were similar between the two groups. The levels of RANTES in FF from patients with endometriosis were significantly higher (460.4 +/- 90.3 pg/mL) compared with concentrations in patients with tubal infertility (243.8 +/- 70.9 pg/mL; P<.05). In contrast, MCP-1 concentrations in FF from women with endometriosis (330.0 +/- 29.2 pg/mL) were lower than in women with tubal infertility (420.5 +/- 46.6 pg/mL; P<.05). Oocyte fertilization rates in the endometriosis group (54%) were significantly lower than those of the tubal infertility group (73%; P<.05), as were the pregnancy rates (19% vs. 35%, respectively; P<.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Women with endometriosis-associated infertility have a poor IVF outcome. Immune cell recruitment into the ovary might affect follicular function and lead to impaired oocyte quality.
Xu
Hong
H
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Schleswig-Holstein, Luebeck, Germany.
Schultze-Mosgau
Askan
A
Agic
Admir
A
Diedrich
Klaus
K
Taylor
Robert N
RN
Hornung
Daniela
D
D000328:Adult; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000276:immunology*; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000276:immunology*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
C111835:CCL2 protein, human; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D018946:Chemokine CCL5