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Induction of Endometriosis and Adenomyosis by Transvaginal Pituitary Transplantation in Mice with and without Natural Killer Cell Activity
Author(s) -
KOUJYO TSUNEMARO,
HATAKEYAMA SHIGETSUGU,
YAMADA HIDETO,
IWABUCHI KAZUYA,
KAJINO KIICHI,
OGASAWARA KAZUMASA,
ONOE KAZUNORI,
FUJIMOTO SEIICHIRO
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
american journal of reproductive immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.071
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1600-0897
pISSN - 1046-7408
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0897.1998.tb00431.x
Subject(s) - adenomyosis , endometriosis , transplantation , uterus , natural killer cell , medicine , anterior pituitary , pathology , gynecology , endocrinology , biology , hormone , cytotoxic t cell , in vitro , biochemistry
PROBLEM: The aims of this study were to establish a mouse model of endometriosis and adenomyosis and to elucidate the necessity of reduced natural killer (NK)‐cell and T‐cell activities in the establishment of endometriosis and adenomyosis. METHOD OF STUDY: Pituitary glands, submandibular glands, or hypothalami were transvaginally inoculated into the uteri of syngeneic female mice. Twenty weeks later, the recipient mice were sacrificed and examined. RESULTS: Cysts, adhesion of the uteri to surrounding tissues, and adenomyosis had formed in the uteri of 7 (29.2%), 14 (58.3%), and 22 (91.7%) mice, respectively, out of 24 BALB/c mice after the transplantation of pituitary glands. Similar findings were obtained by experiments with C3H/He and C57BL/6 mice. In NK‐cell‐deficient C57BL/6‐ bg J and T‐cell‐deficient BALB/c nu/nu mice, an increase in the formation of cysts, adhesion, and adenomyosis was not observed. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that transvaginal pituitary transplantation specifically induces cysts, adhesion, and adenomyosis. Reduced NK‐cell activities may not be necessary in the primary development of endometriosis and adenomyosis.