Virus Infection and Type I Interferon in Endometriosis

Pia M. Martensen, Lívia Anna, B. Ulla
In: Endometriosis - Basic Concepts and Current Research Trends · 2012 · doi:10.5772/30098 · W1575616922
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This review discusses the potential involvement of DNA viruses and type I interferons within the innate immune system in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

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This chapter reviews the potential role of viral infections and type I interferon signaling in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. It explores how latent viruses might contribute to chronic inflammation and immune dysregulation within the peritoneal cavity, potentially driving lesion establishment and progression. The authors discuss evidence suggesting that type I interferons may have dual roles, acting both as protective antiviral agents and as contributors to tissue remodeling and pain associated with the disease. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — specifically examining the interplay between viral infection mechanisms and type I interferon responses in the context of the condition.

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Abstract

Endometriosis is a chronic disease in which endometrium-like lesions are located ectopically, frequently in the pelvic cavity but also in more distant regions. It has been estimated that 5 to 10% of fertile women are suffering from the disease, and in a population of women with dysmenorrhoea (painful periods), around 50% have endometriosis The symptoms include chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhoea, dyspareunia (pain during intercourse), and subfertility. The pathogenesis of endometriosis is unclear. Endometriosis is hormonal-dependent and therefore mainly found in women in the fertile age, although rare cases have been found in men and postmenopausal women. The risk is increased seven-to nine-fold for women who have a close relative (mother and/or sister) with endometriosis, indicating some genetic involvement Endometriosis displays malignant-like features, such as invasiveness and metastasis, and DNA viruses might play a role in endometriosis, like human papillomavirus (HPV) is part of the pathogenesis of cervix cancer Signs of inflammation are the key findings in endometriosis. From the above, some evidence points towards a possible involvement of the type I interferons (IFNs). This chapter will discuss whether DNA-viruses and the innate immune system might be involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
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Open access Submitted: 15 March 2011 Published: 09 May 2012 DOI: 10.5772/30098 From the Edited Volume Edited by Koel Chaudhury and Baidyanath Chakravarty Submitted: 15 March 2011 Published: 09 May 2012 © 2012 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Discover 2026 Nobel Laureate Francis Halzen’s chapter on IntechOpen >

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endometriosischronic_pelvic_paindysmenorrheadyspareunia

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