EFFECT OF DANAZOL IN-VITRO AND IN-VIVO ON MONOCYTE-MEDIATED ENHANCEMENT OF ENDOMETRIAL CELL-PROLIFERATION IN WOMEN WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS

Objective: To investigate danazol's effect in vitro and in vivo on the ability of peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) from women with endometri osis to stimulate endometrial cell proliferation Design: Uterine endom etrial cells from untreated or danazol-treated patients with endometri osis were cultured with or without autologous or heterologous PBM in t he presence of different concentrations of danazol for 72 hours before assessment of endometrial cell proliferation by thymidine incorporati on. Setting: Not for profit clinical research institute and academic c ell culture laboratory. Patients: Women of reproductive age undergoing laparoscopy for endometriosis, 19 untreated patients and 17 danazol-t reated patients. Interventions: Peripheral blood monocytes and endomet rial biopsies obtained at laparoscopy. Danazol (800 mg/d) administered for 2 to 6 months (treated group) or added to cell cultures in concen trations of 10(-6), 10(-7), or 10(-9) M. Results: Endometrial cell pro liferation was enhanced by autologous or heterologous PBM from untreat ed patients with endometriosis but was unaffected or suppressed by PBM from danazol-treated patients. Danazol in vitro reduced PBM-enhanced endometrial cell proliferation. Endometrial cell proliferation from da nazol-treated patients was not enhanced by PBM from untreated patients with endometriosis. Conclusions: Danazol treatment in vitro or in viv o suppresses PBM-mediated enhancement of endometrial cell proliferatio n. The effects are against both PBM and endometrial cells, suggesting that danazol affects monocyte-derived growth-stimulating factors and e ndometrial cell response to growth-stimulating factors.