Human Reproduction, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 790-797, 1996
© 1996 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
research-article |
Localization and characterization of white blood cell populations within the human ovary throughout the menstrual cycle and menopause
1Fearing Research Laboratory, Division of Reproductive Immunology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School 2Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Correspondence: 3To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Fearing Research Laboratory, Seeley G. Mudd Bid. Room 204, 250 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
The purpose of this investigation was to localize and characterize white blood cell populations in the human ovary through its physiological life cycle. Ovaries from 30 women of reproductive age and from three post-menopausal women were embedded in paraffin or frozen. Clinical information and pathology review were used to obtain accurate menstrual cycle information and to ensure the absence of ovarian disease. Tissue sections were stained for leukocyte phenotypes and the numbers of white blood cells in the ovary were semiquantitatively assessed by two separate examiners using a 0–3 plus (+) scoring system. Our results demonstrated that macrophages and T lymphocytes were the primary immune cells of the ovary, the concentrations of which were dependent on the location and stage of development of the structures containing leukocytes. Developing follicles contained few (+) macrophages located in the theca, while atretic follicles possessed moderate (+ +) numbers in the granulosa and few ( + ) to moderate (+ +) numbers in the theca. Newly formed corpora lutea contained few ( + ) macrophages, while regressing corpora lutea contained abundant (+ + +) numbers. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR positive cells were located predominantly at sites where macrophages were present T lymphocytes were generally not present in the developing follicle but focal, small (+) numbers were observed in blood vessels of the theca. Atretic follicles contained few ( + ) T lymphocytes in the granulosa and few (+) to moderate ( + +) numbers in the theca. Few (+ ) T lymphocytes were present in new corpora lutea, while moderate (+ +) to abundant (+ + +) numbers were present in regressing corpora lutea. T lymphocytes at all sites were UCHLl positive. The CD4 (T helper) to CD8 (T suppressor) ratio in the corpus luteum was 1: 1. B-lymphocytes and natural killer cells were generally absent in the pre-menopausal ovary. Hie post-menopausal ovary, in contrast, only contained few ( + ) macrophages, T lymphocytes and natural killer cells in the stroma. In conclusion, our results indicate that the human ovary is an immunologicaUy dynamic tissue containing activated macrophages and T lymphocytes which provide an anatomical basis for immunoendocrine interactions within the ovary.
Key words: corpus luteum/follicle/leukocyte/lymphocyte/macro-phage/ovary
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  F. Gonzalez, N. S. Rote, J. Minium, and J. P. Kirwan Increased Activation of Nuclear Factor {kappa}B Triggers Inflammation and Insulin Resistance in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 2006; 91(4): 1508 - 1512. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 F Gonzalez, N S Rote, J Minium, and J P Kirwan In vitro evidence that hyperglycemia stimulates tumor necrosis factor-{alpha} release in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome. J. Endocrinol., March 1, 2006; 188(3): 521 - 529. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
F. Gonzalez, N. S. Rote, J. Minium, and J. P. Kirwan Reactive Oxygen Species-Induced Oxidative Stress in the Development of Insulin Resistance and Hyperandrogenism in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., January 1, 2006; 91(1): 336 - 340. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. Dahm-Kahler, E. Runesson, A. K. Lind, and M. Brannstrom Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 in the follicle of the menstrual and IVF cycle Mol. Hum. Reprod., January 1, 2006; 12(1): 1 - 6. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M.P. Smith, G.R. Flannery, B.J. Randle, J.M. Jenkins, and C.H. Holmes Leukocyte origin and profile in follicular aspirates at oocyte retrieval Hum. Reprod., December 1, 2005; 20(12): 3526 - 3531. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. R. Liptak, B. T. Sullivan, L. E. Henkes, M. P.B. Wijayagunawardane, A. Miyamoto, J. S. Davis, B. R. Rueda, and D. H. Townson Cooperative Expression of Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein 1 Within the Bovine Corpus Luteum: Evidence of Immune Cell-Endothelial Cell Interactions in a Coculture System Biol Reprod, May 1, 2005; 72(5): 1169 - 1176. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. Wu, K. H. Van der Hoek, N. K. Ryan, R. J. Norman, and R. L. Robker Macrophage contributions to ovarian function Hum. Reprod. Update, March 1, 2004; 10(2): 119 - 133. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Yanagi, S. Makinoda, R. Fujii, S. Miyazaki, S. Fujita, H. Tomizawa, K. Yoshida, T. Iura, T. Takegami, and T. Nojima Cyclic changes of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) mRNA in the human follicle during the normal menstrual cycle and immunolocalization of G-CSF protein Hum. Reprod., December 1, 2002; 17(12): 3046 - 3052. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 H. Bagavant, C. Sharp, B. Kurth, and K. S. K. Tung Induction and Immunohistology of Autoimmune Ovarian Disease in Cynomolgus Macaques (Macaca fascicularis) Am. J. Pathol., January 1, 2002; 160(1): 141 - 149. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C.-L. Hu, R. G. Cowan, R. M. Harman, D. A. Porter, and S. M. Quirk Apoptosis of Bovine Granulosa Cells After Serum Withdrawal Is Mediated by Fas Antigen (CD95) and Fas Ligand Biol Reprod, February 1, 2001; 64(2): 518 - 526. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. Aust, C. Simchen, U. Heider, F. A. Hmeidan, V. Blumenauer, and K. Spanel-Borowski Eosinophils in the human corpus luteum: the role of RANTES and eotaxin in eosinophil attraction into periovulatory structures Mol. Hum. Reprod., December 1, 2000; 6(12): 1085 - 1091. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Runesson, K. Ivarsson, P. Olof Janson, and M. Brännström Gonadotropin- and Cytokine-Regulated Expression of the Chemokine Interleukin 8 in the Human Preovulatory Follicle of the Menstrual Cycle J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 2000; 85(11): 4387 - 4395. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. Morales, L. Garcia-Pardo, C. Reymundo, C. Bellido, J. E. Sanchez-Criado, and F. Gaytan Different patterns of structural luteolysis in the human corpus luteum of menstruation Hum. Reprod., October 1, 2000; 15(10): 2119 - 2128. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. Shinetugs, E. Runesson, N.P. Bonello, M. Brannstrom, and R.J. Norman Colony stimulating factor-1 concentrations in blood and follicular fluid during the human menstrual cycle and ovarian stimulation: possible role in the ovulatory process Hum. Reprod., May 1, 1999; 14(5): 1302 - 1306. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
F. Gaytán, C. Morales, L. García-Pardo, C. Reymundo, C. Bellido, and J.E. Sánchez-Criado Macrophages, Cell Proliferation, and Cell Death in the Human Menstrual Corpus Luteum Biol Reprod, August 1, 1998; 59(2): 417 - 425. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|