Both CD1a+ and CD83+ DC populations were altered in the eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with endometriosis compared with controls. Alterations in these cells, which play a crucial role in the coordination of the immune response, may be involved in pain generation and the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

This study further supports an association between immune changes in eutopic endometrium and presence of endometriosis. However, it remains uncertain if eutopic immune changes are primary or secondary occurrences.

The highly coordinated cyclical changes in DC populations during the normal menstrual cycle reported in this study may be important for local regulatory mechanisms relevant to menstruation and implantation; alterations in this normal profile may contribute to the development of disturbances of function, fertility and even benign gynaecological disease.

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