OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of natural killer T cells (NKT) in the pathogenesis and staging of endometriosis (EMT).

METHODSSixty EMT cases of stages I to IV were enrolled as the observation group, and 20 healthy volunteers served as the control group. NKT percentages in the peripheral blood and peritoneal effusions were detected by flow cytometry, and the levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) were examined using ELISA.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, EMT group showed significantly lowered NKT percentages and IFN-γ and IL-4 levels in both the peripheral blood and peritoneal effusions (P<0.05). In EMT patients, NKT percentages, IFN-γ and IL-4 levels all increased significantly with the stage of EMT in the order of I>II>III>IV (P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that NKT, IFN-γ and IL-4 were all inversely correlated with the stage of EMT (r>0.06, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAs a protective factor against EMT, NKT, together with its cytokines IFN-γ and IL-4, play an important role in EMT and is closely correlated with EMT staging.

Case-Control Studies ; Endometriosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Natural Killer T-Cells ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE：To analyze the chemotypes of volatile components from Perillae Folium of different germplasms ，and to investigate the relationship of germplasm and leaf color with chemotype. METHODS ：The fingerprints of volatile components from 30 batches of Perillae Folium were prepared by GC-MS with P 4 peak as reference. Similarity Evaluation System for TCM Chromatographic Fingerprint （2004A edition ）was applied to evaluate the similarity and confirm common peaks. The volatile components of Perillae Folium were determined by the same GC-MS method. Qualitative Navigator （B.08.00）software was used to analyze and compare with NIST 17.0 standard mass spectrum database. The compounds corresponding to the peak were analyzed ； clustering analysis was carried out with Origin 2018 software. RESULTS ：There were 13 common peaks in the fingerprints of volatile components from 30 batches of Perillae Folium . The similarities were 0.13-1.00. Totally 54 components were identified from 30 batches of Perillae Folium of different germplasm. Cluster analysis showed that 30 batches of Perillae Folium samples could be clustered into three categories ；among them ，SCY-1，YNT-9，YNX-17，YN-28 were clustered into one category ，with phenylpropanoid-elemicin（PP-e as ）the main volatile component ，being PP-e type ；GS-4，GS-7，GS-11，GS-19，HBA-14， HBA-20，GZZ-8，LN-39，GSL-27，GSQ-32，GSQ-33，GST-31，YNW-12，LN-38 were clustered into one category ，and the content of perilla ketone （PK）in them was the highest except for LN- 38， being PK type [the content of phenylpropanoid-apiol（PP-a）in LN- 38 was higher than that of perilla ketone ，being PP-a type] ；HBS-2，HBS-3，HBS-6， C201859）HBS-15，HBS-16，HBS-24，HBS-25，GX-26，SXS-30，SCC- 36，RB-37，SC-29 were clustered into one category ，and thecontent of perillaldehyde （PA）was the highest ，being PA type.The color characteristics of Perillae Folium of different germplasm showed that Perilla frutescens （L.） Britt. var.frutescens with green leaves on both sides was PK type ，while P. frutescens （L.）Britt. var. arguta with purple leaves on one or both sides was PA type ，and P. frutescens （L.） Britt var. auriculato-dentata C. Y. Wu et Hsuan ex H. W. Li was PP-e type. CONCLUSIONS：The chemotype of volatile components in Perillae Folium have a certain corresponding relationship with their leaf colors. Most of P. frutescens （L.）Britt. var. arguta with purple leaves on one side or both sides are PA type. P. frutescens （L.） Britt. var. acuta （Thunb.）Kudo，P. frutescens （L.）Britt var. auriculato-dentata C. Y. Wu et Hsuan ex H. W. Li and P. frutescens （L.）Britt. var. frutescens with green leaves on both sides do not belong to PA type ，among which P. frutescens （L.）Britt var. frutescens is PK type ，while P. frutescens （L.）Britt var. auriculato-dentata C. Y. Wu et Hsuan ex H. W. Li is mostly PP-e type.