Authors: P Florio M Busacca M Vignali P Viganò R J Woods P J Lowry A R Genazzani S Luisi M Santuz Felice Petraglia
Publish Date: 2014/03/29
Volume: 21, Issue: 1, Pages: 37-42
Abstract
Corticotropinreleasing factor CRF is a 41amino acid neurohormone involved in the neuroendocrine response to stress also playing a role in cellmediated immune functions and in inflammation In the light of recent evidence showing an association between endometriosis and altered cellular immunity factors the present study investigates immunoreactive ir CRF in the peritoneal fluid of healthy women and in patients with pelvic adhesions and endometriosis In addition peritoneal fluid concentrations of CRFbinding protein CRFBP a 37kDA protein of 322 amino acids able to modulate central and peripheral CRF functions were evaluated Peritoneal fluid samples n=35 were collected from healthy women n=12 from patients with intrapelvic adhesions n=8 and from women with endometriosis n=15 In the control group a specimen of blood was collected Peritoneal fluid and plasma CRF levels were measured by a twosite immunoradiometric assay IRMA and CRFBP levels were measured by a specific radioimmunoassay RIA CRF and CRFBP levels in peritoneal fluid were lower than plasma values and independent of the phase of the menstrual cycle in particular in healthy women there was no significant difference between peritoneal fluid and plasma CRFBP levels during two phases of the menstrual cycle Peritoneal fluid levels of CRF and CRFBP were similar in healthy patients and women with pelvic adhesions or with endometriosis and when patients with adhesions or with endometriosis were considered as single group no difference in CRF and CRFBP levels was noted in comparison to the control group In patients with endometriosis no significant differences in peritoneal fluid CRF or CRFBP levels were recorded although in patients with stage 2 and stage 3 of the disease peritoneal fluid CRFBP levels were higher than in healthy patients or in those with a lower grade of the disease These results suggest that the peritoneal concentration of these hormones may reflect the circulating levels the absence of any significative variations in peritoneal fluid CRF levels according to the degree of the endometriosis suggests a limited role of CRF in the immunological changes related to the disease
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