Endometriosis is a chronic, inflammatory disease characterized by the growth of endometrial tissue outside of the uterine cavity whereas the etiology of endometriosis remains elusive. Non-invasive diagnostic markers for endometriosis are lacking, and there’s no curative treatment available. Immunological dysfunction has been proposed as a critical facilitator of ectopic lesion growth following retrograde menstruation of endometrial debris. Retrograde menstruation occurs in a majority of women, but endometriosis has been hypothesized to develop in women whose dysregulated innate and adaptive immune mechanisms cannot mount the appropriate response to the refluxed endometrial debris. However, it still remains unclear how or whether immune dysfunction is involved in disease initiation. Previous reports suggest that endometrial fragments from endometriosis patients have increased adhesive capacity. As a natural response of innate and adaptive immune system components to try and clear menstrual debris, immune cell infiltration and resultant tissue repair are initiated. However, the inability to deal with the persistent presence of menstrual debris over time may lead to immune dysfunction. Nevertheless, it is not clear whether this immune dysfunction is a cause or a consequence of endometriosis. The complex changes in immune cell function and the interaction between the cells are the focus of the research on the mechanism of endometriosis. It is crucial to deepen the mechanism research and determine whether immune dysfunction can be therapeutically targeted in endometriosis.
The goal of this Research Topic is to describe current advances in the field of endometriosis immunology, deepen the mechanism research and investigate whether immune dysfunction can be used as a therapeutic target for endometriosis. Both original research articles and reviews covering the following topics will be considered in this collection.
1. Mapping immune cells in endometriosis by the high-throughput method
2. Identification of key pathways of specific interest in the development of endometriosis
3. The potential action of specific interventions that reshape the immune microenvironment and alleviate endometriosis
Endometriosis is a chronic, inflammatory disease characterized by the growth of endometrial tissue outside of the uterine cavity whereas the etiology of endometriosis remains elusive. Non-invasive diagnostic markers for endometriosis are lacking, and there’s no curative treatment available. Immunological dysfunction has been proposed as a critical facilitator of ectopic lesion growth following retrograde menstruation of endometrial debris. Retrograde menstruation occurs in a majority of women, but endometriosis has been hypothesized to develop in women whose dysregulated innate and adaptive immune mechanisms cannot mount the appropriate response to the refluxed endometrial debris. However, it still remains unclear how or whether immune dysfunction is involved in disease initiation. Previous reports suggest that endometrial fragments from endometriosis patients have increased adhesive capacity. As a natural response of innate and adaptive immune system components to try and clear menstrual debris, immune cell infiltration and resultant tissue repair are initiated. However, the inability to deal with the persistent presence of menstrual debris over time may lead to immune dysfunction. Nevertheless, it is not clear whether this immune dysfunction is a cause or a consequence of endometriosis. The complex changes in immune cell function and the interaction between the cells are the focus of the research on the mechanism of endometriosis. It is crucial to deepen the mechanism research and determine whether immune dysfunction can be therapeutically targeted in endometriosis.
The goal of this Research Topic is to describe current advances in the field of endometriosis immunology, deepen the mechanism research and investigate whether immune dysfunction can be used as a therapeutic target for endometriosis. Both original research articles and reviews covering the following topics will be considered in this collection.
1. Mapping immune cells in endometriosis by the high-throughput method
2. Identification of key pathways of specific interest in the development of endometriosis
3. The potential action of specific interventions that reshape the immune microenvironment and alleviate endometriosis