SPONTANEOUS APOPTOSIS OF ENDOMETRIAL TISSUE IS IMPAIRED IN WOMEN WITHENDOMETRIOSIS

Objective: To evaluate spontaneous apoptosis in single-cell suspension s of eutopic and ectopic endometrium from women with endometriosis and in eutopic endometrium from fertile controls without endometriosis. D esign: Paired specimens of eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissue from patients with endometriosis and eutopic endometrium from controls wer e assessed for spontaneous apoptosis. Setting: Institute for the Study and Treatment of Endometriosis and university-based research laborato ries. Patient(s): Fertile controls (n = 10) and women with untreated e ndometriosis (n = 16). Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Spontaneous apoptosis assessed with an ELISA-based cell death detecti on kit. Result(s): Spontaneous apoptosis (monitored by absorbance) of eutopic endometrium from patients with endometriosis and fertile contr ols was 0.63 +/- 0.1 and 1.43 +/- 0.11, respectively. Among patients w ith endometriosis, spontaneous apoptosis of ectopic endometrium was 0. 26 +/- 0.06. Decreased apoptosis of ectopic versus eutopic endometrium was observed independent of cycle phase. Conclusion(s): The susceptib ility of endometrial tissue to spontaneous apopoptosis is significantl y lower in women with endometriosis than in fertile controls. We sugge st that decreased susceptibility of endometrial tissue to apoptosis co ntributes to the etiology or pathogenesis of endometriosis. (C) 1998 b y American Society for Reproductive Medicine.