title: Increased percentage of Th17 cells in peritoneal fluid is associated with severity of endometriosis.
abstract: Th17 cells are a newly discovered T helper lymphocyte subpopulation, producing interleukin IL-17. Th17 cells are present in blood and peritoneal fluid (PF) at different stages of endometriosis. We aim to establish their potential importance in the pathogenesis and clinical features of the disease.
  
  
  
  The percentage of Th17 cells among T helper lymphocytes was determined in the PF and peripheral blood (PB) of patients with endometriosis and in the control group by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies: anti-CD-4-FITC, anti-CD-3-PE/Cy5, and anti-IL-17A-PE.
  
  
  
  Th17 percentage is increased in PF in comparison with PB in both endometriotic patients and in the control group. In severe endometriosis, the percentage of Th17 cells in PF was higher than with early (I/II stage) endometriosis. A positive correlation between the percentage of Th17 cells in PF and the white blood cell count in PB was found in patients with endometriosis.
  
  
  
  Targeting the activity of PF Th17 cells may have an influence on the proliferation of ectopic tissue and clinical manifestations of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Oncology Centre of the Lublin, Jaczewski Street 7, 20-090 Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: gogacz@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gogacz
authors.affiliation: Oncology Centre of the Lublin, Jaczewski Street 7, 20-090 Lublin, Poland; II Department of Gynecology, Lublin Medical University, Jaczewski Street 8, 20-954 Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: ikochans@interia.pl.
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Lublin Medical University, Chodźki Street 4a, 20-093 Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: agnieszkajunak@poczta.onet.pl.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bojarska-Junak
authors.affiliation: Centre for Innovative Research in Medical and Natural Sciences, Medical Faculty of University of Rzeszów, Warzywna Street, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland. Electronic address: kolgen@o2.pl.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tabarkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Oncology Centre of the Lublin, Jaczewski Street 7, 20-090 Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: andrzej.semczuk@am.lublin.pl.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Semczuk
authors.affiliation: Oncology Centre of the Lublin, Jaczewski Street 7, 20-090 Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: rechbergt@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rechberger
authors.affiliation: Oncology Centre of the Lublin, Jaczewski Street 7, 20-090 Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: adamiak@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adamiak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002469:Cell Separation; D018450:Disease Progression; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000473:pathology*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
keywords: Endometriosis; Peripheral blood; Peritoneal fluid; Th17 cells