Mesenchymal Stem Cells treatment improves the endometriosis proliferation in cell culture

Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disorder defined as the presence of endometrial tissue within extra‐uterine sites. The proliferation of topic and ectopic endometrial tissue was demonstrated in several trials. In endometriotic tissues and cultured endometriotic cells the expression profile of cell cycle and inflammatory proteins are modified, particularly p27 protein – reduced expression – and IL‐1β – increased expression –, both leading to an increased cell proliferation. The therapeutic use of an adenoviral p27 super‐expression vector (Adp27EGFP) in endometriotic cell cultures induces the cells back to normal proliferative levels. In order to improve the therapeutic potential of this gene therapy we combined it with cell therapy using human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSC). The levels of IL‐1β were evaluated in the culture medium of normal and endometriotic endometrial cells transfected or not with Adp27EGFP and Adnull, and treated with hUCMSC. Treatment with hUCMSC leads to increased IL‐1β expression reaching endometriotic levels after 14 days of treatment even in the normal endometrial cells. The therapeutic effects of Adp27EGFP were totally inhibited in the endometriotic cells treated with hUCMSC. These results suggest that the mesenchymal stem cells can have a role in the progression of the endometriosis and cannot be used to treat the disease.