calcimycin and Endometriosis

Endometriosis and infertility are commonly associated. This study investigated the role of accelerated lipid peroxidation of spermatozoa by the peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis as a cause for this association. It proposes that the increased iron concentration present in the fluid of these patients acts as a catalyst for the process. Peritoneal fluid from 25 patients with endometriosis and 25 matched controls was obtained at laparoscopy. Spermatozoa were incubated in the fluid from both groups and the subsequent acrosome reaction rates analysed. The relationship between these results and iron concentration in the fluid was examined. A significant decrease in the acrosome reaction rate was seen in the endometriotic group (P = 0.034). Overall, a decrease in the acrosome reaction rate was associated with an increased iron concentration in the fluid (18 of the 25 pairs). In mild disease, (six of 11 pairs), the relationship was not as marked as that in severe disease (12 of 14 pairs). These results suggest that the peritoneal fluid in patients with endometriosis has a detrimental action on the acrosome reaction of spermatozoa in vitro.

Topics: Acrosome; Ascitic Fluid; Calcimycin; Endometriosis; Female; Humans; Infertility, Female; Iron; Male

The effect of peritoneal fluid (PF) from endometriosis patients was studied in spontaneous and stimulus-induced (Ca-ionophore; A23187) acrosome reactions. PF samples were obtained from 21 infertile women with endometriosis and five normal women (controls). Sperm acrosomes were examined by staining with Pisum sativum agglutinin labelled with fluorescein isothiocyanate. The incidence of spontaneous acrosome reaction after 1 and 6 h of incubation (6.7 +/- 1.6 and 6.9 +/- 1.4 respectively) was significantly (P < 0.001) lower when the incubation was performed with PF from endometriosis patients in comparison with spermatozoa incubated in PF from the control group (12.8 +/- 1.1 and 12.8 +/- 0.8). Similarly, the incidence of A23187-induced acrosome reaction after 1 and 6 h of incubation (19.8 +/- 2.7 and 20.0 +/- 2.4) was significantly (P < 0.001) lower when spermatozoa were incubated with PF from endometriosis patients in comparison with spermatozoa incubated with PF from the control group (34.6 +/- 9.8 and 34.4 +/- 1.1). The incidence of A23187-inducible acrosome reaction was also significantly (P < 0.001) lower when the incubation was performed with PF from endometriosis patients (13.1 +/- 2.8 and 13.1 +/- 2.4) when compared with that from the control group (21.8 +/- 2.6 and 21.6 +/- 1.5). No relationship was found between the stage of endometriosis and the incidence of acrosome loss. In conclusion, the PF from endometriosis patients decreased both spontaneous and stimulus-induced acrosome reaction. This may represent a mechanism for the detrimental effect of the PF from endometriosis patients on the spermatozoa-oocyte interaction and partially explain the aetiology of infertility in patients with endometriosis.

Topics: Acrosome; Adult; Ascitic Fluid; Calcimycin; Endometriosis; Female; Humans; Infertility, Female; Male; Sperm-Ovum Interactions