Effect of interferon alpha-2b on endometrioma cells in vitro

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of interferon alpha -2b on the growth of e ndometrioma cells and its effect on the DNA synthesis. METHODS: Cells from four separate endometrioma cell lines were seeded into six-well plates in M199 medium containing increasing levels of interferon a lpha -2b: 0 (control), 50, 100, 500, 1000, and 2000 U/mL. All cells were co unted on days 0, 3, 6, and 9 in quadruplicate, and the counts were averaged for each condition. A second experiment was run to demonstrate the effect of short-term exposure of interferon alpha -2b on the growth of endometriom a cells in culture. In a separate experiment, cells from two endometriomas were plated in quadruplicate to evaluate the DNA synthesis. On day 3, 1000 and 4000 U/mL of interferon alpha -2b were added and ran simultaneously wit h control (0 U/mL) wells. H-3-thymidine was added to each condition for 24 and 48 hours' incubation. Cells were then harvested and counted in a scinti llation counter to study the H-3-thymidine uptake. RESULTS: Interferon alpha -2b suppressed endometrioma cell growth in vitro. This effect increased with increasing concentrations of interferon alpha - 2b (50-2000 U/mL) compared with the control (0 U/mL). The suppression of ce ll growth was statistically significant, but when interferon alpha -2b was removed from the culture cell growth increased. H-3-thymidine uptake by end ometrioma cells decreased compared,vith the control after 24 and 48 hours f or interferon alpha -2b concentrations of 1000 and 4000 U/mL, respectively. CONCLUSION: Interferon alpha -2b inhibits the growth and DNA synthesis of e ndometrioma cells in culture. This finding may have prospects for the treat ment of endometriosis. (C) 2001 by the American College of Obstetricians an d Gynecologists.