Premium
IMMUNOLOGICAL DISTURBANCES IN PATIENTS WITH PREMATURE OVARIAN FAILURE
Author(s) -
PEKONEN F.,
SIEGBERG R.,
MÄKINEN T.,
MIETTINEN A.,
YLIKORKALA O.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1986.tb03589.x
Subject(s) - premature ovarian failure , immune system , etiology , antibody , medicine , endocrinology , natural killer cell , ovary , immunology , biology , cytotoxic t cell , biochemistry , in vitro
SUMMARY Eighteen patients with postmenopausal gonadotrophin levels and secondary amenorrhoea before the age of 35 years (premature ovarian failure, POF) were examined for the presence of cellular and humoral immune defects. Six patients had an abnormally low natural killer (NK) cell activity. The levels of circulating immune complexes were increased in six patients. Tissue antibodies were detected in six patients and two of these possessed ovarian antibodies. Leukocyte migration inhibition in the presence of ovarian antigen was slightly enhanced in three patients. Altogether 12 patients (66%) with POF had some immunological defect or defects suggesting that immune mechanisms are often involved in the aetiology of POF.