title: Serum soluble CD163 and interleukin-6 levels in women with ovarian endometriomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  CD163 is a hemoglobin scavenger receptor exclusively expressed in the monocyte-macrophage system and its soluble form (sCD163) has not yet been studied as a serum marker in women with endometriosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether serum levels of sCD163 and interleukin-6 (IL-6) could be possible markers for ovarian endometriomas discriminating adnexal benign cystic tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The concentrations of sCD163 and IL-6 were determined using commercial ELISA kits in frozen sera collected from 95 women prior to surgery for adnexal benign cystic tumors: 44 with ovarian endometriomas, 24 with mature cystic teratomas, 10 with mucinous cystadenomas, 8 with serous cystadenomas and 9 with parovarian cysts. Serum levels of CA-125 were also recorded preoperatively. The volume of cysts was evaluated in women with ovarian endometriomas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum levels of sCD163 and IL-6 were not significantly different among the women with various adnexal benign cystic tumors. In patients with endometriomas (n = 44), the levels were similar to those with nonendometriotic benign cystic tumors (n = 51): 3,431.7 +/- 343.9 vs. 3,231.0 +/- 391.7 ng/ml for sCD163 and 5.3 +/- 0.9 vs. 12.9 +/- 4.0 pg/ml for IL-6 (mean +/- SEM). No correlation was noted between serum levels of two markers with volume of endometriomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that serum levels of sCD163 as well as IL-6 are not useful markers for ovarian endometriomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Chul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Jee
authors.forename: Chang Suk
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Seok Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Shin Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Moon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood*; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019410:Interleukin-16 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000097:blood*; D000098902:CD163 Antigen
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D015415:Biomarkers; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D000098902:CD163 Antigen; D019410:Interleukin-16; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface