Endometriosis may affect up to 5% of women in the United States, and it is believed to cause 30-40% of female infertility. Recent reports have suggested that the disease may be increasing. Although various etiologies have been proposed, many reports have suggested that endometriosis may be linked to an abnormal autoimmune function. The purpose of this Phase I proposal is to isolate and characterize endometrial autoantigens which may react with diseased patient autoantibodies or activate disease patient PBMCs. Two independent cDNA isolates were obtained from immunoscreening of cDNA expression libraries and shown to have specific immunoreactivity with clinically characterized patient serum. Preliminary results showing an assoc I-on between antibodies to one of the recombinant antigens and clinical endometriosis are discussed. Isolated antigens showing immunoassociation with endometriosis patients and not other auto immune or PID patients will be used to provide readgents for clinical patient studies in Phase II.
Identification of the involvement of specific autoantigens in endometriosis will potentially provide for a better clinical assessment of the disease and a clearer understanding of reproductive failure in these cases.
