Exploratory Study of Serum Lactoferrin and Anti-Lactoferrin Antibody Concentrations in Patients with Endometriosis

• Published in: The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine Vol. 259; no. 2; pp. 135 - 142
• Main Authors: Morimune, Aina, Tsuji, Shunichiro, Murakami, Takashi, Hanada, Tetsuro, Kitazawa, Jun, Kimura, Fuminori, Mori-Yamanaka, Kaya, Nakamura, Akiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Tohoku University Medical Press 2023
• Subjects: anti-lactoferrin antibody; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; autoimmune disease; Autoimmune Diseases; Endometriosis; Female; Humans; Inflammation; lactoferrin; neutrophil; endometriosis; lactoferrin; anti-lactoferrin antibody; autoimmune disease; neutrophil
• ISSN: 0040-8727; 1349-3329; 1349-3329
• DOI: 10.1620/tjem.2022.J106

Endometriosis is a disease that is characterized by the ectopic presence of the endometrium or its similar cells. A high prevalence of patients with autoimmune diseases has been reported among patients with endometriosis although the cause of endometriosis remained unknown. Recently, the anti-lactoferrin antibody is reported to be highly detected in autoimmune diseases. This study focused on lactoferrin and anti-lactoferrin antibodies to explore the pathology of endometriosis. Lactoferrin is a substance that regulates inflammation and is produced by neutrophils. Anti-lactoferrin antibody is a type of perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody. The serum lactoferrin and anti-lactoferrin antibody levels were compared among patients with or without endometriosis, revealing significantly higher levels in patients with endometriosis. Additionally, a decreased serum anti-lactoferrin antibody level was observed after surgical endometriosis resection. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis determined the reference values for the serum lactoferrin and anti-lactoferrin antibody levels. Patients whose serum level exceeded the reference anti-lactoferrin antibody value were significantly higher in more than 40% of cases in the endometriosis group. The rate is comparable to that of autoimmune diseases. This is the first report that anti-lactoferrin antibody is frequently observed in patients with endometriosis, adding a new perspective to the understanding of the pathology of endometriosis although precisely elucidating the mechanism by which lactoferrin and anti-lactoferrin antibody appear in endometriosis in the future is necessary.