title: Iron storage is significantly increased in peritoneal macrophages of endometriosis patients and correlates with iron overload in peritoneal fluid.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To further investigate peritoneal iron disruption in endometriosis by studying iron storage in peritoneal macrophages of patients with endometriosis compared with controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic gynecology research unit in a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients undergoing laparoscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Collection of peritoneal fluid samples (N = 50) from patients with (n = 27) and without (n = 23) endometriosis undergoing laparoscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantification of peritoneal macrophage ferritin by immunocytochemical staining and immunodensitometry and measurement of peritoneal iron, transferrin, ferritin, and prohepcidin concentrations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The optical density of peritoneal macrophage ferritin staining was statistically significantly higher in endometriosis patients than in controls. Higher iron concentrations, transferrin saturations, and ferritin concentrations were also detected in case of endometriosis. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the optical density of macrophage ferritin staining and peritoneal iron concentrations in endometriosis and control patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Iron storage is statistically significantly increased in peritoneal macrophages of patients with endometriosis and correlates with iron overload in peritoneal fluid. The potential implications of iron accumulation in peritoneal macrophages in case of endometriosis are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lousse
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Defrère
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Langendonckt
authors.forename: Jérémie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gras
authors.forename: Reinaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: González-Ramos
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Colette
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Donnez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000032:analysis; D064451:Hepcidins; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000378:metabolism*; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D064451:Hepcidins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D014168:Transferrin; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron