title: Leptin on peritoneal macrophages of patients with endometriosis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Meng-Hsing
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Mei-Feng
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Fong-Ming
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Shaw-Jenq
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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