The endometrial immune environment of women with endometriosis

Júlia Vallvé-Juanico, Sahar Houshdaran, Linda C Giudice
Human reproduction update · 2019 · vol. 25(5) , pp. 565–592 · doi:10.1093/humupd/dmz018 · PMID:31424502 · PMC6737540 · W2958092008
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

Endometriosis is associated with altered endometrial immune cell populations, including a predominance of pro-inflammatory macrophages and abnormal natural killer cell activity.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis, a common oestrogen-dependent inflammatory disorder in women of reproductive age, is characterized by endometrial-like tissue outside its normal location in the uterus, which causes pelvic scarring, pain and infertility. While its pathogenesis is poorly understood, the immune system (systemically and locally in endometrium, pelvic endometriotic lesions and peritoneal fluid) is believed to play a central role in its aetiology, pathophysiology and associated morbidities of pain, infertility and poor pregnancy outcomes. However, immune cell populations within the endometrium of women with the disease have had incomplete phenotyping, thereby limiting insight into their roles in this disorder. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE: The objective herein was to determine reproducible and consistent findings regarding specific immune cell populations and their abundance, steroid hormone responsiveness, functionality, activation states, and markers, locally and systemically in women with and without endometriosis. SEARCH METHODS: A comprehensive English language PubMed, Medline and Google Scholar search was conducted with key search terms that included endometriosis, inflammation, human eutopic/ectopic endometrium, immune cells, immune population, immune system, macrophages, dendritic cells (DC), natural killer cells, mast cells, eosinophils, neutrophils, B cells and T cells. OUTCOMES: In women with endometriosis compared to those without endometriosis, some endometrial immune cells display similar cycle-phase variation, whereas macrophages (Mø), immature DC and regulatory T cells behave differently. A pro-inflammatory Mø1 phenotype versus anti-inflammatory Mø2 phenotype predominates and natural killer cells display abnormal activity in endometrium of women with the disease. Conflicting data largely derive from small studies, variably defined hormonal milieu and different experimental approaches and technologies. WIDER IMPLICATIONS: Phenotyping immune cell subtypes is essential to determine the role of the endometrial immune niche in pregnancy and endometrial homeostasis normally and in women with poor reproductive history and can facilitate development of innovative diagnostics and therapeutics for associated symptoms and compromised reproductive outcomes.

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Condition tags

endometriosisinfertility

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Endometrium Endometrium Dendritic Cells Dendritic Cells Endometriosis Endometrium Estrogens Estrogens Female Humans Inflammation Inflammation Inflammation Killer Cells, Natural Killer Cells, Natural Macrophages Macrophages Pregnancy T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory

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)

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