An immunological factor in the etiology of human ovulatory failure
Mori, T.; Kasai, K.; Suzuki, A.; Kitagawa, M.; Nishimura, T.
Acta Obstetrica et Gynaecologica Japonica 21(2): 110-115
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-6330 PMID: 4469127 Document Number: 82076
The role of the immune mechanism in the development of ovulatory failure was examined in 57 humans using indirect immunofluorescence. Ovaries and sera were obtained from patients with a variety of functional and pathologic disorders: normal cycles, anovulation, the climacteric, granulosa cell tumors and chorionic tumors. In 19 of the 57 cases there was a positive reaction, and 16 of the patients were diagnosed as having idiopathic ovulatory failure on endocrinologic examination prior to surgery. Five different patterns of fluorescence were discriminated in the ovaries: fine striped, reticular, fine granular, patchy and lumpy patterns. The gross findings for the ovaries of the 16 patients with anti-ovarian antibody were a polycystic ovary in 13 cases, a hypoplastic ovary in 2 cases and an atrophic ovary in 1 case. Control studies with sera from women with normal cycles, normal adult men, normal pregnant women and normal children gave negative reactions. The direct immunofluorescent method with antihuman .gamma. globulin also gave negative results. Anti-ovarian antibodies specifically present in the sera of patients with idopathic anovulation indicate that an autoimmune mechanism particpates an an etiologic factor in the development of idopathic anovulation.