IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL LOCALIZATION OF GRANULOCYTE-MACROPHAGE COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR IN MATCHED ENDOMETRIOSIS AND ENDOMETRIAL TISSUES

OBJECTIVE: Murine endometrial granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulatin g factor has been related to macrophage recruitment and activation and postulated to mediate reproductive events. This study was designed to determine whether granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor is present in normal human endometrium or endometriosis. STUDY DESIGN: G ranulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor was immunohistochemica lly evaluated in matched endometrial and endometriosis biopsy specimen s (n = 19) and endometrial biopsy specimens from disease-free patients (n = 8). Staining differences were determined with McNemar's, Fisher' s, and Wilcoxon's tests. RESULTS: Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimul ating factor was primarily localized in endometrial and endometriotic epithelial cells. Expression (p = 0.71) and staining intensity (P = 0. 37) was similar in matched proliferative-phase endometrium and endomet riosis. Matched secretory-phase endometrium and endometriosis also exp ressed granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in similar pro portions (p = 0.12), but staining intensity was enhanced in secretory endometriosis compared with secretory endometrium (p = 0.05). Endometr ial granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor did not vary thro ughout the menstrual cycle, but endometriotic expression (p = 0.013) a nd staining intensity (p = 0.008) were significantly greater in the se cretory phase. CONCLUSIONS: Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor is localized in endometrial and endometriotic epithelial cells with increased expression in secretory-phase endometriosis. Granulocyt e-macrophage colony-stimulating factor may elicit migration, prolifera tion, and activation of endometrial and peritoneal macrophages.