Increased granulocyte chemotactic protein-2 concentrations in peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the release of granulocyte chemotactic protein-2 (GCP-2) into peritoneal fluid in women with endometriosis, we measured its concentration with reference to the disease stage and the phase of the menstrual cycle. METHODS: Surgery was scheduled in the proliferative or secretory phase of the menstrual cycle for 64 women with endometriosis (n = 38) or cystadenomas (n = 26). GCP-2 concentrations in the peritoneal fluid were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULT: Our findings indicated elevated concentrations of GCP-2 in peritoneal fluid from women with endometriosis during the proliferative phase, which were positively correlated with the stage of endometriosis. CONCLUSION: Inflammation associated with endometriosis may be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease through increasing levels of peritoneal fluid GCP-2.

Elevated angiogenin levels in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis correlate with the extent of the disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the release of angiogenin into peritoneal fluid in women with and without endometriosis by measuring its concentration with reference to disease stage, presence of red lesions, and phase of the menstrual cycle. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Nagoya City University Hospital. PATIENT(S): Sixty-four women with endometriosis (n = 38) and cystadenomas (n = 26) for whom surgery was scheduled in the proliferative or secretory phase of the menstrual cycle. INTERVENTION(S): Peritoneal fluid samples were obtained at laparotomy or laparoscopy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Angiogenin concentrations in the peritoneal fluid, as measured by ELISA. RESULT(S): Angiogenin concentration in the peritoneal fluid was markedly elevated in the endometriosis patients (median 515 ng/mL, interquartile range 151-1763 ng/mL) compared with the cystadenoma (control) patients (195 ng/mL, 98-324 ng/mL), with values correlating with the extent of the disease. No significant differences between the proliferative phase and the secretory phase were observed in either the controls or the endometriosis patients. CONCLUSION(S): The inflammation associated with endometriosis, through increasing levels of peritoneal fluid angiogenin, might promote angiogenesis for progression of the disease and correlate with the extent of the disorder.

Enrichment of fetal cells from maternal blood by magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) with fetal cell specific antibodies: one-step versus two-step MACS.

We report here the results of fetal cell enrichment from maternal blood in 58 pregnant women by the use of magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) with erythroblast-specific and/or maternal cell specific antibodies. Two approaches were compared; one-step MACS to enrich CD71+ (a membrane-bound marker) or GPA+ (another marker, glycophorin A) fetal cells versus two-step MACS to deplete CD14+ maternal cells and subsequently to enrich fetal (CD71+ or GPA+) cells. The existence of fetal cells was ensured by both FISH with Y-specific probes and karyotyping of respective amniotic and/or chorionic vullus cells, the results being applied for comparison of detection rate for XY fetuses between the two MACS procedures. In 24 (38.8%) of the 58 blood samples examined, Y-positive cells were observed by FISH, whereas there were 38 true XY fetuses later confirmed by karyotyping, including two cases of 47,XY,+21. On the other hand, in Y-negative cells by FISH, there were two cases of 47,XX,+18. The average number of cells sorted did not differ among one-step MACS procedures with anti-CD14, anti-CD71 and anti-GPA antibodies. With the latter, 12 (75%) of 16 Y-positive fetuses were detected, while only one (20%) of 5 Y-positive fetuses was detected by two-step MACS with anti-CD14/anti-GPA antibodies. The detection rate significantly varied (p = 0.0024) between the two procedures, although the numbers of cases examined were small. There was no statistical difference (p > 0.05) between one-step and two-step MACS with other combinations of antibodies. These findings indicate that one-step MACS using the anti-GPA antibody is more effective than two step MACS for enrichment of fetal cells from maternal blood.