Biological characteristics of endometriotic mesenchymal stem cells isolated from ectopic lesions of patients with endometriosis

Abstract

Background: Research into the pathogenesis of endometriosis (EMs) would substantially promote its effective treatment and early diagnosis. However, the aetiology of EMs is poorly understood and controversial despite the progress in EMs research in the last several decades. Currently, accumulating evidence has shed light on the importance of endometrial stem cells (EnSCs) residing in the basal layer of endometrium in the establishment and progression of endometriotic lesions. Therefore, we aimed to identify the differences between EnSCs isolated from the ectopic lesions of EMs patients (EnSC-EM-EC) and EnSCs isolated from eutopic endometrium of control group (EnSC-Control). We further performed preliminary exploration of the potential signalling pathways involved in the above abnormalities. Methods: EnSC-EM-EC (n = 12) and EnSC-Control (n = 13) were successfully isolated. Then, the proliferative capacity, migratory capacity and angiogenic potential of EnSCs were evaluated by conventional MTT assay, flow cytometry, wound healing assay, transwell assay, tube formation assay and chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay respectively. The expression of 11 angiogenesis-associated biological factors and 11 cytokines secreted by EnSCs and 17 adhesion molecules expressed on EnSCs were determined by protein array assays respectively. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between EnSC-EM-EC and EnSC-Control were analysed by RNA-sequence.

Role of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in Human Embryo Implantation: Clinical Implications

“…The authors also conducted a subgroup analysis and found that in patients with endometriosis, non-pregnant subjects had higher VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-3 expression than pregnant subjects [ 115 ]. Moreover, endometriotic mesenchymal stem cells of ectopic lesions from endometriosis patients exhibited unique biological characteristics, with increased production of angiogenic factors including VEGF and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), which implies intrinsic defects in these cells [ 116 ]. In addition, anti-VEGF therapy could attenuate the progress of endometriosis and may be a novel strategy for endometriosis treatment [ 117 ].…”

Conditioned medium from healthy women's endometrial stem cells improve inflammatory and stemness- expression genes in endometriosis women

“…Accumulating evidence showed that in ammation may be considered as a crucial mechanism in endometriosis. In addition, it was identi ed that stemness genes may be involved as key mediators in establish endometriosis [24][25][26][27].…”

New Therapeutics in Endometriosis: A Review of Hormonal, Non-Hormonal, and Non-Coding RNA Treatments

“…Eight signaling pathways implicated in the differences between eutopic and ectopic populations of EnSCs were identified [119].They include microRNAs of signaling pathways in cancer, complement and coagulation cascades, cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions, ECM-receptor interactions, focal adhesion, and ovarian steroidogenesis. They are probably mediated by HIF-1, PI3K-Akt, and TGF-ß [119]. Determining these different factors may help to develop new therapeutic targets for the treatment of endometriosis.…”