Macrophages: Are They Involved in Endometriosis, Abortion and Preeclampsia and How?

Hutter S, Stefan Hutter, Heublein S, Sabine Heublein, Julia Knabl, Knabl J, Andergassen U, Ulrich Andergassen, Vrekoussis T, Thomas Vrekoussis, Antonis Makrigiannakis, Friese K, Klaus Friese, Mayr D, Doris Mayr, Jeschke U, Udo Jeschke
Journal of Nippon Medical School = Nippon Ika Daigaku zasshi · 2013 · vol. 80(2) , pp. 97–103 · doi:10.1272/jnms.80.97 · PMID:23657062 · W2073393989
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This study evaluated macrophages in endometriosis, abortion, and preeclampsia, finding their involvement through lesion invasion, increased population during miscarriage, and apoptosis of extravillous trophoblasts in preeclampsia.

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This short review evaluates how macrophages may contribute to three clinically distinct gynecological conditions—endometriosis, spontaneous abortion, and preeclampsia—by synthesizing evidence on macrophage immune regulation and cell behavior. It highlights findings that macrophages invade endometriotic lesions and mediate propagation of endometriotic cyst growth, and it reports that this work is the first to demonstrate significant GPER up-regulation in macrophages, proposing an estrogen-linked mechanism for macrophage immune modulation in endometriosis. It also summarizes observations that macrophage populations increase significantly during spontaneous miscarriages and that preeclampsia is associated with increased macrophage-mediated apoptosis of extravillous trophoblasts, along with Fas ligand–positive decidual macrophages. The authors state that further studies with larger samples are needed to verify these results and assess clinical impact. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — it specifically discusses macrophage invasion of lesions, cyst growth propagation, and first-time demonstration of GPER up-regulation in macrophages.

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Abstract

Macrophages hold a key role in both regulating and executing the body's own immune response under various conditions. Hence, although endometriosis, preeclampsia and abortions are clinically different, all three are regarded to involve highly complex immunological processes. The aim of our current work was to evaluate the role of macrophages within these gynaecological disorders. Macrophages have been shown to invade endometriosis lesions and to mediate propagation of endometriotic cyst growth. However this is the first time that significant GPER up-regulation in macrophages is demonstrated. This highlights a potential alternative way through which estrogen may modulate immune response of macrophages in endometriosis. In addition, during spontaneous miscarriages the macrophage population increases significantly. This deregulation may possibly support an inflammatory scheme further triggering abortive procedures. Macrophage-mediated apoptosis of extravillous trophoblasts (EVT) has been associated with preeclampsia. Larger numbers of apoptotic EVT were detected in preeclamptic placentas compared with normal. In preeclamptic placentas, decidual macrophages were found to be Fas ligand (FasL)-positive. Our results highlight a new aspect of macrophage biology in endometriosis and pregnancy physiology and patho-physiology. Further studies with larger samples are needed to verify the current results and evaluate their clinical impact. Our data strongly indicate that macrophages hold key roles in various gynaecological disorders and might be crucial to further elucidate their patho-physiology.
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Short Review Macrophages: Are They Involved in Endometriosis, Abortion and Preeclampsia and How? 2013 Volume 80 Issue 2 Pages 97-103 Details Abstract Macrophages hold a key role in both regulating and executing the body's own immune response under various conditions. Hence, although endometriosis, preeclampsia and abortions are clinically different, all three are regarded to involve highly complex immunological processes. The aim of our current work was to evaluate the role of macrophages within these gynaecological disorders. Macrophages have been shown to invade endometriosis lesions and to mediate propagation of endometriotic cyst growth. However this is the first time that significant GPER up-regulation in macrophages is demonstrated. This highlights a potential alternative way through which estrogen may modulate immune response of macrophages in endometriosis. In addition, during spontaneous miscarriages the macrophage population increases significantly. This deregulation may possibly support an inflammatory scheme further triggering abortive procedures. Macrophage-mediated apoptosis of extravillous trophoblasts (EVT) has been associated with preeclampsia. Larger numbers of apoptotic EVT were detected in preeclamptic placentas compared with normal. In preeclamptic placentas, decidual macrophages were found to be Fas ligand (FasL)-positive. Our results highlight a new aspect of macrophage biology in endometriosis and pregnancy physiology and patho-physiology. Further studies with larger samples are needed to verify the current results and evaluate their clinical impact. Our data strongly indicate that macrophages hold key roles in various gynaecological disorders and might be crucial to further elucidate their patho-physiology. © 2013 by the Medical Association of Nippon Medical School Favorites & Alerts Recently viewed articles Predecessor

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Abortion, Spontaneous Endometriosis Macrophages Pre-Eclampsia Abortion, Spontaneous Endometriosis Female Humans Macrophages Pre-Eclampsia Pregnancy

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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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