Dendritic Cells and Their Role in the Pathogenesis of Endometriosis

Immune system alteration plays a central role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis(EMs). Dendritic cells(DCs),one of the most important immune cells in the immune system, are key antigen-presenting cells (APC),which can bridge innate and adaptive immunity to help initiate immune response. The alteration of DCs population and function contribute to the abnormal immunity and defective immune surveillance mechanism, which lead to the development of ectopic endometrial cells. The role DCs play in the pathogenesis of EMs was summarized in this review. The alteration of DCs population was found either in ectopic lesion or in eutopic endometrium and peritoneal fluid. The function of DCs, besides antigen-presenting, promoting angiogenesis and supporting the growth of nerve fiber were reported by literatures. In words, alterations in DCs play a significant role in the immunotolerance and the development of ectopic lesions,so the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in endometriosis is need to be an in-depth understanding, which may provide a potential therapeutic approach for endometriosis.