Innate lymphoid cells in the endometrium of women with endometriosis

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K18196
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56040:Obstetrics and gynecology-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Tanaka Yukiko 京都府立医科大学, 医学部附属病院, 専攻医 (50806297)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 子宮内膜症 / 自然リンパ球 / 炎症性サイトカイン / 自然免疫

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) control both innate and adapted immune system. The role of ILCs in endometriosis has not been investigated. The percentage of each ILC group in CD45+ cells was examined in the peripheral blood, peritoneal fluid, endometrium, and ovarian endometrioma obtained from women with and without endometriosis using flow cytometry. In the endometrium, patients with endometriosis had lower proportion of ILC2 and 3 compared to control specimens. There was no significant change in the peripheral blood or the peritoneal fluid between the two groups. Additionally, ovarian endometrioma increased the proportion of ILCs compared to the endometrium samples of patients with endometriosis and normal endometrium. Immunohistochemistry of IL-1β and IL-23, which are ILC3-inducing factors, significantly increase in ovarian endometrioma.
The proportion of ILC2 and 3 was reduced in the endometrium of patients with endometriosis, and ILCs were increased in ovarian endometrioma.

Free Research Field

子宮内膜症

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

自然リンパ球(ILC)は最近発見された、免疫に大きく影響する細胞である。子宮内膜症は慢性炎症性疾患であるが、ILCの関わりについては報告がなかった。今回われわれが初めて子宮内膜症でのILCの変化を調べた。
子宮内膜症患者においてILCは末梢血、腹水中で変化は認めず、腹腔内環境などILCの影響を示唆する所見は認めなかった。一方、子宮内膜や卵巣子宮内膜症性のう胞など局所の病態にILCｓが関与している可能性が示唆された。