The variation of T lymphocyte subsets in peritoneal fluid of woman with endometriosis and its significance

Objective To investigate the variation of T lymphocyte subsets in peritoneal fluid of woman with endometriosis and its significance. Methods Flow cytometry was employed to demonstrate the difference in the number and ratio of the lymphocyte subsets between the patients with endometriosis and the controls. Results CD3+,CD4+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in peritoneal fluid of woman with endometriosis were significantly lower than that of the controls (P 0.01). No significant difference existed between the endometriosis group and the control group (P 0.05). CD3+,CD4+,CD8+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in peritoneal fluid of endometriosis woman were not significantly different with that of the uterine fibroids group (P 0.05). There was no significant difference in peritoneal fluid CD4+ T cells between the uterine fibroids group and the control group (P 0.05). The uterine fibroid woman contained lower CD3+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio (P 0.01), and contained higher CD8+ T cells (P 0.05) as compared with the control group. CD3+,CD4+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in peritoneal fluid of woman with mild and severe endometriosis were significantly lower and CD8+ T cells significantly higher than that of the controls (P 0.05). There was no significant difference in peritoneal fluid CD3+,CD4+ and CD8+ T cells between mild and severe endometriosis patients (P 0.05). CD4+/CD8+ ratio in peritoneal fluid of the mild endometriosis was significantly lower than that in the severe endometriosis group (P 0.05). Conclusions Cellular immune dysfunction in woman peritoneal fluid was related with pathogenesis of endometriosis. Test of lymphocyte subsets in woman peritoneal fluid had clinical importance in investigating the pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of endometriosis.