ENDOMETRIOSIS AND AUTOLOGOUS LYMPHOCYTE-ACTIVATION BY ENDOMETRIAL CELLS - ARE LYMPHOCYTES OR ENDOMETRIAL CELL DEFECTS RESPONSIBLE

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the decreased mitogenicity of the endo metrial cell for autologous lymphocytes noted in women with pelvic end ometriosis is secondary to endometrial cell interaction with the lymph ocytes or due to an inherent defect of the lymphocyte. STUDY DESIGN: T he endometrial cells from 30 women with endometriosis and 30 matching controls were cultured. Autologous lymphocyte and endometrial cells we re cocultured to observe the lymphocyte proliferative response to auto logous endometrium in controls and to ectopic and eutopic endometrial cells from patients. The ability of lymphocytes to be stimulated by ph ytohemagglutinin (PHA) was simultaneously assayed. RESULTS: Ectopic an d eutopic endometrial cells from women with endometriosis were less mi togenic for autologous lymphocytes than endometrial cells from control s. The lymphocytes from both patients and controls exhibited a similar stimulatory response to PHA. CONCLUSION: The diminished proliferative response of lymphocytes from women with endometriosis probably is not the consequence of an intrinsic lymphocyte abnormality. The fundament al defect in endometriosis may reside within the endometrial cell.