EVIDENCE FOR OXIDATIVELY MODIFIED LIPID-PROTEIN COMPLEXES IN ENDOMETRIUM AND ENDOMETRIOSIS

Objective: To evaluate for the presence of oxidatively modified lipid- protein complexes in endometriosis and endometrium of women with endom etriosis and controls. Design: Controlled clinical study. Setting: Aca demic tertiary care center. Patient(s): Women undergoing surgery for p elvic pain, infertility, endometriosis, or tubal ligation controls. In tervention(s): Biopsy of endometrium and endometriosis. Main Outcome M easure(s): Staining with antibodies to oxidatively modified lipid prot eins (HNE-7, MDA2), macrophages (HAM-56), and muscle cell actin (HHF-3 5). Result(s): Both endometrium and endometriosis tissues contain stro mal cells that immunostain with HAM-56 and show immunostaining (both i ntracellular and extracellular) with HNE-7 and MDA2. Some endometrioti c implants show patchy staining with HHF-35. Endometrium was devoid of staining with HHF-35. Control staining with nonimmune sera in both ti ssues was also devoid of staining. Conclusion(s): These data strongly implicate the occurrence of oxidative stress in endometriosis tissue. These data also suggest that oxidative modification is a normal physio logical process in endometrium. (C)1998 by American Society for Reprod uctive Medicine.