Leptin on peritoneal macrophages of patients with endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
The expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 is considered as a marker of macrophage activation and has been implicated in the development of endometriosis. Leptin is an immunomodulator, which may also affect the development of endometriosis. However, how leptin contributes to these pathological processes has not been completely understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of leptin on peritoneal macrophages and its relationship with endometriosis.


METHODS
Peritoneal fluid from 60 women of reproductive age was obtained while they underwent laparoscopy. Forty patients had endometriosis and 20 patients did not have endometriosis. The concentration of leptin in the peritoneal fluid and prostaglandin F(2alpha) levels was measured by ELISA, and the other protein expression using Western blot when peritoneal macrophages were stimulated with leptin.


RESULTS
Concentration of leptin in peritoneal fluid was increased in patients with endometriosis compared with disease-free normal control. Functional leptin receptor was present in peritoneal macrophages. Treatment of peritoneal macrophages with leptin induced COX-2 expression. Production of prostaglandin F(2alpha) by peritoneal macrophages was increased after leptin stimulation in women with endometriosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated concentration of leptin in peritoneal fluid may contribute to the pathological process of endometriosis through activation of peritoneal macrophages.
Wu
Meng-Hsing
MH
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan, Taiwan.
Huang
Mei-Feng
MF
Chang
Fong-Ming
FM
Tsai
Shaw-Jenq
SJ
D000328:Adult; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000276:immunology; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000276:immunology; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000276:immunology; D020738:Leptin / Q000276:immunology*; D016215:Macrophage-Activating Factors / Q000276:immunology; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000276:immunology*; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1 / Q000276:immunology; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000276:immunology; D013624:Taiwan
D007375:Interleukin-1; D020738:Leptin; D016215:Macrophage-Activating Factors; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human; D015237:Dinoprost; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human