Foster WG

Ubiquitously distributed in the environment, food supply, and consumer products, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are exogenous substances that disrupt hormonal activities in the endocrine system. Increasing evidence suggests that wome…

Renee T Sullender,1 Ravi K Agarwal,2 Marni B Jacobs,1 Jocelyn M Wessels,3 Warren G Foster,3 Sanjay K Agarwal1 1Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; 2Univer…

Endometriosis is a chronic disease associated with debilitating pain that affects many people assigned female at birth, from menarche through menopause, not just causing pain and infertility, but also negatively impacting quality of life, p…

The eutopic secretory phase endometrium in endometriosis overproduces and releases a soluble immunosuppressive CD200 molecule (CD200L) and is populated by stromal cells that contain a truncated CD200 (CD200S) that promotes a proinflammatory…

PROBLEM: Estrogen-dependent extrauterine implantation and growth of menstrual endometrial tissue affects roughly 10% of reproductive age women and depends on suppression of local innate immune defenses to prevent ectopic tissue rejection. I…

OBJECTIVES: To describe the use and perceived effectiveness of medical, surgical, and alternative therapies (e.g., diet, exercise, heat, cannabis, etc.) in managing endometriosis-associated pain in Canadians. METHODS: A cross-sectional onl…

Endometriosis is a common gynecological condition characterized by estrogen dependence, chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and diagnostic delay of between 5.4 and 12 years. Despite extensive study, no biomarker, either alone or in combinatio…

Endometriosis is a chronic, estrogen-dependent gynecological condition affecting approximately 10% of reproductive age women. The most widely accepted theory of its etiology includes retrograde menstruation. Recent reports suggest the uteru…

BACKGROUND: Women with endometriosis are commonly treated by their sole provider. In this single-provider model of care, women frequently report long diagnostic delays, unresolved pelvic pain, multiple laparoscopic surgeries, sequential con…

Circulating concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have been linked to cancer, neuropsychiatric, diabetes, and gynecological disorders. However, factors influencing plasma storage and subsequent BDNF quantification are i…

ObjectiveTo identify novel candidate diagnostic microRNA (miRNA) markers of endometriosis by means of an unbiased search with confirmation by means of targeted polymerase chain reaction (PCR).DesignRetrospective cohort.SettingUniversity tea…

STUDY QUESTION: Are melatonin receptors (melatonin receptor 1A (MR1A) and melatonin receptor 1B (MR1B)) expressed in human endometrium and endometriotic tissue, and does melatonin affect endometrial cell proliferation? SUMMARY ANSWER: Melat…

Sanjay K Agarwal,1 Warren G Foster,1,2 Erik J Groessl3,41Center for Endometriosis Research and Treatment, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; 2Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Mcmaster University, Hamilton, O…

MicroRNA (miRNA), noncoding segments of RNA involved in post-transcriptional regulation of protein expression are differentially expressed in eutopic endometrium of women with and without endometriosis compared to endometriotic lesions. How…

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate novel clinical markers of endometriosis including the neurotrophins brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), and neurotrophin 4/5 (NT4/5) and compare them to others previously reported in t…

STUDY QUESTION: Are brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptors, NTRK2, NGFR and SORT1, regulated by ovarian steroids in the uterus? SUMMARY ANSWER: BDNF and its low affinity receptor, nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR), ar…

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of 3 months of aromatase inhibition together with progestin add-back on ovarian endometrioma size. This prospective cohort study was performed at University Medical Center (UC San Diego). W…

In addition to estrogen dependence, endometriosis is characterized by chronic pelvic inflammation. The impact of the chronic pelvic inflammatory state on other organ systems and women's health is unclear. Endometriosis associated chronic in…

In this special issue, we have secured a series of insightful articles from experts in this field of research and care to address endometriosis from a broad and longitudinal perspective. Specifically, this special issue brings forward sever…

BACKGROUND: This randomized, multicenter, open-label clinical trial was intended to generate pilot data on the efficacy and safety of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) deslorelin (D) with low-dose estradiol ± testosterone (…

Numerous biochemical differences have been documented in women with endometriosis compared to controls; however, identification of a clinically useful marker of endometriosis remains elusive. We postulate that the diversity of clinical pres…

Phthalate diesters, widely used in flexible plastics and consumer products, have become prevalent contaminants in the environment. Human exposure is ubiquitous and higher phthalate metabolite concentrations documented in patients using medi…

Reproductive function and fertility are thought to be compromised by behaviors such as cigarette smoking, substance abuse, and alcohol consumption; however, the strength of these associations are uncertain. Furthermore, the reproductive sys…

BackgroundA single in utero exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on gestation day 15 decreased epididymal sperm count in adult rats and thus was used to establish a tolerable daily intake for TCDD. However, several laborat…