The aim of the present study was to measure the in vitro
aromatase activity in granulosa cells of women with
endometriosis submitted to assisted reproduction techniques. A case-control study was conducted on eight patients with
endometriosis and eight with other
infertility causes submitted to in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Granulosa cells were obtained from pre-ovulatory follicles during oocyte retrieval and cultured for 24 h in the presence or absence of
testosterone (2 x 10(-6) and 2 x 10(-5) M),
follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and
insulin-like growth factor-I (
IGF-I) (both at 50 ng/ml).
Estradiol (radioimmunoassay) was measured in the obtained culture fluids. The basal production of
estradiol and its production under
testosterone addition to the culture (
aromatase activity) were analyzed. Reduced
aromatase activity was detected in cultured granulosa cells in
endometriosis cases, compared with controls, when
testosterone was added at the concentration at 2 x 10(-6) M (p = 0.0303). The basal production of
estradiol was also reduced in
endometriosis patients (p = 0.0390). The effect of addition of FSH and
IGF-I did not differ between groups. In conclusion, the in vitro basal production of
estradiol and
aromatase activity in granulosa cells were reduced in women with
endometriosis submitted to assisted reproduction techniques, compared with the control group.