Immunohistochemical characterization of stromal leukocytes in ovarian endometriosis: comparison of eutopic and...

To compare stromal leukocyte subpopulations in different phases of the menstrual cycle in eutopic and ectopic endometrium from women with ovarian endometriosis and in control endometrium.

Retrospective immunohistochemical study.

Department of Pathology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom.

Paraffin-embedded tissue blocks from 30 patients with endometriosis and 30 control blocks from patients undergoing hysterectomy for nonendometrial pathology were retrieved from archive files.

Quantitative assessment of defined stromal leukocyte subpopulations in eutopic, ectopic and control endometrium at different stages of the menstrual cycle.

In the proliferative and early secretory phases, ectopic endometrium contained elevated numbers of CD45+, CD3+, and CD43+ cells but reduced percentages of CD68+ macrophages. The proportions of granulated cells were reduced in ectopic endometrium throughout the cycle. No differences were noted between eutopic endometrium from women with endometriosis and control endometrium.

Differences between eutopic and ectopic leukocyte subpopulations with the exception of large granular lymphocytes may be due to the lack of cyclicity demonstrated by endometriotic lesions.