Cytokine network of eutopic and ectopic endometrium in women with adenomyosis.

PROBLEM: Recent studies showed the impairment of local cytokine balance in women with external endometriosis, but similar findings concerning direct production of cytokines by immunocompetent cells of women with adenomyosis are absent. In this context, investigation of the cytokine synthesis by mononuclear cells (MNCs) infiltrating eutopic and ectopic endometrium is of special interest. METHOD OF STUDY: Concentration of interferon-γ (IFNγ), interferon-α (IFNα), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) in supernatants (SNs) of 24-hr cultures of MNCs obtained from eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with adenomyosis was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The levels of IFNγ, IFNα, TNFα, IL-1β and EGF in SNs of eutopic endometrial MNCs of women with adenomyosis were significantly increased and the content of IL-8 in SNs was reduced compared with that of the control figures. Ectopic MNCs of women with adenomyosis produced higher levels of IFNγ, IFNα and TNFα than the MNCs of normal endometrium. The production of IL-1β, IL-8 and EGF by ectopic endometrial MNCs was significantly reduced. CONCLUSION: The results obtained indicate a significant role of local cytokine production impairment in the development of adenomyosis.