Regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 in follicular fluid accumulate differentially in patients with and without endometriosis undergoing in vitro fertilization

Abstract

To compare the amount of regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) in follicular fluid (FF) of patients with and without endometriosis and to determine their oocyte fertilization and pregnancy rates. Case-control study. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Luebeck, Germany. Thirty-two women with endometriosis stages I-IV and 28 women without endometriosis, both groups surgically and histologically confirmed. Diagnostic laparoscopy, IVF-ET. RANTES and MCP-1 levels in follicular fluid, measured by ELISA, and oocyte fertilization and pregnancy rates. Follicular response and days of gonadotropin stimulation were similar between the two groups. The levels of RANTES in FF from patients with endometriosis were significantly higher (460.4 +/- 90.3 pg/mL) compared with concentrations in patients with tubal infertility (243.8 +/- 70.9 pg/mL; P<.05). In contrast, MCP-1 concentrations in FF from women with endometriosis (330.0 +/- 29.2 pg/mL) were lower than in women with tubal infertility (420.5 +/- 46.6 pg/mL; P<.05). Oocyte fertilization rates in the endometriosis group (54%) were significantly lower than those of the tubal infertility group (73%; P<.05), as were the pregnancy rates (19% vs. 35%, respectively; P<.01). Women with endometriosis-associated infertility have a poor IVF outcome. Immune cell recruitment into the ovary might affect follicular function and lead to impaired oocyte quality.