Women with endometriosis have increased levels of placental growth factor in the peritoneal fluid compared with women with cystadenomas

Nobuhiro Suzumori, Mayumi Sugiura-Ogasawara, Kinue Katano, Kaoru Suzumori
Human Reproduction · 2003 · vol. 18(12) , pp. 2595–2598 · doi:10.1093/humrep/deg491 · PMID:14645176 · W2105201396
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: To assess the release of placental growth factor (PlGF) into peritoneal fluid in women with and without endometriosis, we measured its concentration with reference to disease stage, the presence of red endometriotic lesions and the phase of menstrual cycle. METHODS: Surgery was scheduled in the proliferative or secretory phase of the menstrual cycle for 59 women with (n = 35) or without (n = 24) endometriosis. The latter group comprised women undergoing surgery for ovarian cystadenomas. PlGF concentrations in the peritoneal fluid were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: PlGF concentration in the peritoneal fluid was markedly elevated in the endometriosis patients (median 189 pg/ml, interquartile range 84-475 pg/ml) as compared with the controls (88 pg/ml, 41-213 pg/ml; P < 0.001), especially in women with red lesions. Significantly greater values during the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle as compared with the proliferative phase were observed in both the control (cystadenoma) group (P < 0.05) and the endometriosis group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that production of PlGF is sensitive to the cyclic changes in ovarian steroids and may contribute to the pathogenesis of endometriosis, especially that of red lesions, by promoting neovascularization.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Ascitic Fluid Cystadenoma Endometriosis Ovarian Neoplasms Pregnancy Proteins Adult Ascitic Fluid Cystadenoma Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Menstrual Cycle Middle Aged Ovarian Neoplasms Placenta Growth Factor Pregnancy Proteins Reference Values

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