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Effect of danazol on the immunocompetent cells in the eutopic endometrium in patients with endometriosis: a
H Ota1, S Igarashi, M Hayakawa
1Akita University School of Medicine, Japan.
Objective:
To assess the effects of danazol on immunocompetent cells, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) expression, and adhesion molecules in the eutopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis.
Design:
Antigens were localized immunohistochemically in the endometria, before treatment and during treatment (2 months later).
Participants:
Ten patients with laparoscopically proven endometriosis who consented to participate in this study were treated with 400 mg/d of danazol for 4 months. Forty-two infertile patients without endometriosis or adenomyosis served as controls.
Results:
Immunohistochemical analysis revealed significantly increased expression of the T cell subsets, macrophages, adhesion molecules, and HLA antigens in eutopic endometrium in patients with endometriosis compared with the infertile group. Treatment with danazol reduced the number of cells in T cell subsets, adhesion molecules, or HLA antigen expression, especially of gamma delta T cells, to 39.5% of the pretreatment value in patients with endometriosis.
Conclusions:
Danazol had an immunomodulatory effect on the autoimmune response in endometrium associated with endometriosis.