Immunobiology of endometriosis

Dan I. Lebovic, D I Lebovic, M D Mueller, Michael D. Mueller, Mueller MD, R N Taylor, Robert N. Taylor, Taylor RN
Fertility and Sterility · 2001 · vol. 75(1) , pp. 1–10 · doi:10.1016/s0015-0282(00)01630-7 · PMID:11163805 · W2017027476
review OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 698 in-corpus citations
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-06 ⓘ

This review explores the immunological aspects of endometriosis, detailing the aberrant immune responses and inflammatory processes contributing to the disease's pathogenesis.

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Abstract

ObjectiveTo provide a review of the humoral and cellular immunology of endometriosis and to discuss the rationale for future approaches to diagnosis and treatment.DesignLiterature survey.Result(s)Defective immunosurveillance in women who are destined to develop endometriosis may allow for the survival of ectopic endometrial tissue. The evidence includes endometrial cell resistance to apoptosis, perhaps through the secretion of proteins that interfere with implant recognition and/or FasL expression by stromal cells, inducing apoptosis of Fas-bearing immune cells. Although the immune response may be defective, aspects of it clearly are enhanced in endometriosis, as is seen by the generalized polyclonal B-cell autoimmune activation and secretion of immune proteins. Several cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors (including vascular growth factors) are increased in women with endometriosis.Conclusion(s)A complex network of locally produced cytokines modulate the growth and inflammatory behavior of ectopic endometrial implants. Proinflammatory proteins from endometriotic lesions and associated immune cells contribute to the enhanced inflammatory reaction associated with endometriosis that subserves the survival of these lesions instead of leading to their demise.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Adult Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometrium Endometrium Female Humans Middle Aged Pregnancy

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.

References (100)

Cited by (50)

Source provenance

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License: CC0 · commercial use OK