Matrix Metalloproteinases and Endometriosis

Kevin G Osteen, Grant R Yeaman, Kaylon L Bruner-Tran, Kaylon L. Bruner‐Tran
Seminars in reproductive medicine · 2003 · vol. 21(2) , pp. 155–164 · doi:10.1055/s-2003-41322 · PMID:12917785 · W58421210
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-07 ⓘ

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may contribute to endometriosis by mediating invasive tissue establishment and exhibiting altered expression in the endometrium, potentially linked to progesterone insensitivity.

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⚙ AI-generated deep summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-07 ⓘ

This paper reviews and synthesizes evidence that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which regulate normal endometrial tissue turnover at menstruation, contribute to the invasive establishment of endometriosis. It links altered, inappropriately expressed MMPs in endometrium—associated with reduced progesterone sensitivity—to steroid- and cytokine-mediated dysregulation of MMP production, highlighting interactions among steroid exposure, immunologic disturbances, genetic predisposition, and possible environmental toxins. A stated caveat is that only a minority of women develop active endometriosis despite plausible factors like retrograde menstruation, implying that discriminating determinants are complex and not fully defined. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — it focuses on how steroid-regulated MMP dysregulation and tissue breakdown mechanisms may enable ectopic lesion establishment.

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Abstract

Retrograde menstruation represents a plausible explanation for the development of most cases of endometriosis; nevertheless, additional factors must contribute to the development of disease in only 10 to 20% of women. The discriminating factor(s) in determining the development of active endometriosis probably involves a complex array of potentially interactive influences including steroid exposure, immunological disturbances, genetic predisposition, and, perhaps, environmental toxin exposure. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), enzymes that mediate normal tissue turnover including endometrial breakdown at menstruation, appear to be involved in the invasive establishment of the disease. In addition, several MMPs appear to be inappropriately expressed in the endometrium of women with this disease in association with a reduced sensitivity to progesterone. Altered regulation of endometrial MMP expression in response to steroids may represent a mechanism linking the invasive potential of refluxed endometrium to the establishment of this disease only in certain women.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Matrix Metalloproteinases Animals Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Gene Expression Regulation Humans Matrix Metalloproteinases Matrix Metalloproteinases Menstruation Multigene Family Multigene Family Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

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Cited by (50)

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