The Increase of Circulating PD-1- and PD-L1-Expressing Lymphocytes in Endometriosis: Correlation with Clinical and Laboratory Parameters

• Published in: Mediators of inflammation Vol. 2018; no. 2018; pp. 1 - 12
• Main Authors: Rolinski, Jacek, Surdacka, Agata, Witt, Elzbieta, Korona-Glowniak, Izabela, Polak, Grzegorz, Grywalska, Ewelina, Walankiewicz, Monika, Kotarski, Jan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Publishing Corporation 01.01.2018; Hindawi; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Age; Antigens; Apoptosis; B cells; Cancer therapies; CD19 antigen; CD3 antigen; CD4 antigen; CD8 antigen; Cell activation; Cell death; Cell-mediated immunity; Endocrinology; Endometrial cancer; Endometriosis; Flow cytometry; Gynecology; Immune checkpoint; Immune system; Immunological tolerance; Infertility; Ligands; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes B; Lymphocytes T; Oncology; Ovarian cancer; PD-1 protein; PD-L1 protein; Peripheral blood; Stem cells; T cells; Womens health; Poland; Germany; Taiwan
• ISSN: 0962-9351; 1466-1861; 1466-1861
• DOI: 10.1155/2018/7041342

The cause of endometriosis remains unknown. However, studies investigating the link between this condition and the immune system revealed several immunological abnormalities focused on cell-mediated immunity. As a major immune checkpoint, programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) displays an important inhibitory function in the maintenance of peripheral tolerance. The expression of PD-1 and its ligand (PD-L1) may contribute to continuous T cell activation and development of inflammation and injury of the tissue. To our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating frequencies of PD-1-positive T CD3+ cells (CD4+ and CD8+) and B cells (CD19+) in patients with endometriosis. Peripheral blood (PB) samples from 25 female patients and 20 healthy age and sex-matched subjects serving as controls were used in the study. Using flow cytometric analysis, we assessed the differences in the frequencies of PD-1-positive T and B lymphocytes in the study group and healthy individuals. Alteration of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis may contribute to the pathogenesis of endometriosis, as patients with advanced disease are characterized by higher frequencies of PD-1-positive T and B cells. Expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 on T and B cells could represent the hallmark of immune system reaction to chronic antigenic exposition in patients with endometriosis.