AI Article Synopsis

  • Endometriosis is a complex disease affecting primarily women of reproductive age, with ongoing debate about its exact causes, particularly concerning the influence of bacterial endotoxins and their interaction with TLR4 receptors.
  • Researchers used a specific test to measure endotoxin levels in menstrual and peritoneal fluids, while also examining microbial presence in menstrual blood and endometrial samples, along with the impact of GnRHa treatment on microbial colonization and endometritis.
  • The study reveals that lipopolysaccharides influence inflammation and endometriosis growth, highlights significant microbial contamination in menstrual blood and tissues, and introduces the "bacterial contamination hypothesis," suggesting new treatment avenues beyond traditional estrogen suppression.

Article Abstract

Background: Endometriosis is a multifactorial disease that mainly affects women of reproductive age. The exact pathogenesis of this disease is still debatable. The role of bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in endometriosis were investigated and the possible source of endotoxin in the pelvic environment was examined.

Methods: The limulus amoebocyte lysate test was used to measure the endotoxin levels in the menstrual fluid and peritoneal fluid and their potential role in the growth of endometriosis was investigated. Menstrual blood and endometrial samples were cultured for the presence of microbes. The effect of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) treatment on intrauterine microbial colonization (IUMC) and the occurrence of endometritis was investigated.

Main Findings Results: Lipopolysaccharide regulates the pro-inflammatory response in the pelvis and growth of endometriosis via the LPS/TLR4 cascade. The menstrual blood was highly contaminated with and the endometrial samples were colonized with other microbes. A cross-talk between inflammation and ovarian steroids or the stress reaction also was observed in the pelvis. Treatment with GnRHa further worsens intrauterine microbial colonization, with the consequent occurrence of endometritis in women with endometriosis.

Conclusion: For the first time, a new concept called the "bacterial contamination hypothesis" is proposed in endometriosis. This study's findings of IUMC in women with endometriosis could hold new therapeutic potential in addition to the conventional estrogen-suppressing agent.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5902457PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rmb2.12083DOI Listing

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