Levels of transferrin and alpha 2-HS glycoprotein in women with and without endometriosis

The study objective was to test the hypothesis that elevated levels of tran sferrin and alpha 2-HS glycoprotein occur in the peritoneal environment of patients with endometriosis that may lead to the observed autoimmunity to t hese proteins. We set up a double sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for m easuring levels of transferrin and alpha 2-HS glycoprotein in the serum and peritoneal fluid samples from women with (n = 24-60) and without endometri osis (n = 35-49), Serum and peritoneal fluid levels of alpha 2-HS glycoprot ein and peritoneal fluid levels of transferrin were significantly elevated in patients with endometriosis, in contrast to the controls. Serum levels o f transferrin in patients, however, were significantly less in the patients than in controls, We conclude that transferrin and alpha 2-HS glycoprotein are present at hig h concentrations in the peritoneal fluids of patients with endometriosis, T his may play a significant role in the autoimmune pathophysiology of endome triosis.