Interleukin-1β induces cyclooxygenase-2 expression and promotes the invasive ability of human mesenchymal stem cells derived from ovarian endometrioma.

Objective: To elucidate the role of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and invasion of endometrioma-derived ectopic endometrial mesenchymal stem cells (EN-MSCs) and to develop an organoid method to study the invasive ability of endometrial cells.

Design: Gene expression and cell functions.

Setting: Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Patient(s): Human eutopic and endometrioma-derived ectopic EN-MSCs were isolated from different endometrium biopsy samples after surgery for treatment of endometriosis.

Intervention(s): Chemical treatment of cell culture.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Comparative analysis of genomewide messenger RNA (mRNA) expression, cell migration, and invasion abilities in cell culture and organoid culture.

Result(s): Gene expression profiles revealed that the expression of IL-1β and COX-2 were statistically significantly higher in ectopic EN-MSCs compared with eutopic EN-MSCs. These enhanced expressions coincided with a greater ability for cell migration and invasion in ectopic EN-MSCs and were found to be distinctly regulated by IL-1β which up-regulates COX-2 expression. Furthermore, IL-1β treatment of ectopic EN-MSCs in organoids was found to induce tentacle-like structures that mimicked cell invasion.

Conclusion(s): These results indicate that COX-2 and IL-1β regulate the invasion ability of ectopic EN-MSCs. The information may be useful for developing a new therapeutic strategy for endometriosis. The ex vivo invasion model will be useful for characterization of EN-MSCs.