Biochemical Heterogeneity of Endometriosis Phenotypes Revealed by FTIR Analysis

Biochemical Heterogeneity of Endometriosis Phenotypes Revealed by FTIR Analysis Corresponding Author Piotr Olcha Department of Gynecology and Gynecological Endocrinology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland Correspondence: Piotr Olcha ([email protected]) Joanna Depciuch ([email protected]) Search for more papers by this authorWiesław Paja Computer Science, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland Search for more papers by this authorMichał Kępski Computer Science, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland Search for more papers by this authorKrzysztof Pancerz Institute of Philosophy, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland Search for more papers by this authorBartosz Klebowski Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Science, Krakow, Poland Search for more papers by this authorŁukasz Nowakowski Department of Gynecology and Gynecological Endocrinology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland Search for more papers by this authorKrzysztof Gałczyński Department of Gynecology, 1 Clinical Military Hospital in Lublin, Lublin, Poland Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author Joanna Depciuch Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Science, Krakow, Poland Correspondence: Piotr Olcha ([email protected]) Joanna Depciuch ([email protected]) Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author Piotr Olcha Department of Gynecology and Gynecological Endocrinology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland Correspondence: Piotr Olcha ([email protected]) Joanna Depciuch ([email protected]) Search for more papers by this authorWiesław Paja Computer Science, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland Search for more papers by this authorMichał Kępski Computer Science, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland Search for more papers by this authorKrzysztof Pancerz Institute of Philosophy, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland Search for more papers by this authorBartosz Klebowski Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Science, Krakow, Poland Search for more papers by this authorŁukasz Nowakowski Department of Gynecology and Gynecological Endocrinology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland Search for more papers by this authorKrzysztof Gałczyński Department of Gynecology, 1 Clinical Military Hospital in Lublin, Lublin, Poland Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author Joanna Depciuch Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Science, Krakow, Poland Correspondence: Piotr Olcha ([email protected]) Joanna Depciuch ([email protected]) Search for more papers by this authorABSTRACT Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to investigate molecular differences among peritoneal, ovarian, bowel endometriosis phenotypes and control tissues. Peritoneal lesions showed the most pronounced spectral changes in CH-stretching (2800–3000 cm−1) and 1000–1500 cm−1 regions, indicating protein and lipid alterations. Bowel lesions exhibited moderate but significant deviations, particularly in protein- and nucleic acid-associated bands, while ovarian lesions displayed subtler differences with increased lipid-related CH-stretching. Principal component analysis distinguished all phenotypes from controls, with peritoneal clustering most distinct, bowel intermediate, and ovarian partially overlapping. Key discriminative regions included phosphate vibrations (1080–1100, 1240–1250 cm−1), CH2 bending (~1450 cm−1), amide I (~1650 cm−1), and amide II (~1540 cm−1). Decision tree analysis identified phenotype-specific markers: 988 cm−1 (ovarian), 1101 cm−1 (bowel), 1544 cm−1 (peritoneal). Marker intensity correlated with tumor size and clinical scores, strongest in ovarian lesions. 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