Changes in subsets of immunocytes in endometrial hyperplasia

Abstract

Problem: Endometrial hyperplasia (EH) is characterized by an endometrial gland-to-stroma ratio >1 and is one of the most common gynecological diseases in the world. The role of immunocyte subsets in the development of EH remains unknown.

Methods: Patients who underwent dilatation and curettage due to abnormal uterine bleeding were recruited in the present study. Alterations in the numbers of different types of immune cell subsets in the endometrium of patients were analyzed by flow cytometry.

Results: The present study included 48 patients who were divided into three groups, based on the pathological results: (a) proliferative period (PP, n = 12); (b) simple EH (SEH, n = 30); and (c) complex EH (CEH, n = 6). The results showed that immune cell subpopulations were significantly different between these three groups. Compared with the PP group, the proportion of CD45⁺ cells and neutrophils and the subtypes of T cells and macrophages were significantly increased in the SEH patients. Compared with the PP and SEH groups, subsets of immunocytes in the CEH group were significantly decreased, including the population of CD45⁺ cells and the subtypes of T cells and natural killer cells; in contrast, the proportion of macrophages was significantly increased. There were no significant differences between the other cell subsets in each group.

Conclusion: The changes in immune cell subsets may be closely associated with the progression of EH. Although the specific role of different immune cell subsets in the development of the diseases requires further study, the changes in the proportions of immune cell subsets should not be ignored.

Keywords: NK cell; T cell; abnormal uterine bleeding; endometrial hyperplasia; macrophage.