The effect of macrophages on putative stem/progenitor cells in endometriosis

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Women with endometriosis have altered immunologic responses and defective immunosurveillance can lead to persistence and growth of menstrual debris at ectopic sites. Macrophages are key players of the natural immunity and are more activated in patients with endometriosis1. Stem cells have been found in human endometrium2 and ovarian endometrioma3 and they exhibit clonogenic activity3, 4 (ability to form large colony forming units, CFUs). Since the pathogenesis of endometriosis remains uncertain, we hypothesis that women with endometriosis are more likely to shed endometrial stem/progenitor cells during menses and these cells can rapidly grow at ectopic tissue upon exposure to a conducive environment. In this study, we examined: 1) the cloning efficiency of endometriotic cells when co-cultured with macrophages, 2) the invasiveness of endometriotic progenies after macrophage exposure, and 3) the cytokine profile of macrophages from women with/without endo…