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Knez J, Kovačič B, Goropevšek A. The role of regulatory T-cells in the development of endometriosis. Hum Reprod 2024:deae103. [PMID: 38756099 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deae103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis is a benign disease of the female reproductive tract, characterized by the process of chronic inflammation and alterations in immune response. It is estimated to affect 2-19% of women in the general population and is commonly associated with symptoms of chronic pelvic pain and infertility. Regulatory T cells (Treg) are a subpopulation of T lymphocytes that are potent suppressors of inflammatory immune response, essential in preventing destructive immunity in all tissues. In endometriosis, several studies have investigated the possible role of Treg cells in the development of the disease. Most studies to date are heterogeneous in methodology and are based on a small number of cases, which means that it is impossible to define their exact role at present. Based on current knowledge, it seems that disturbed Treg homeostasis, leading to increased systemic and local inflammation within ectopic and eutopic endometrium, is present in women who eventually develop endometriosis. It is also evident that different subsets of human Treg cells have different roles in suppressing the immune response. Recent studies in patients with endometriosis have investigated naive/resting FOXP3lowCD45RA+ Treg cells, which upon T cell receptor stimulation, differentiate into activated/effector FOXP3highCD45RA- Treg cells, characterized by a strong immunosuppressive activity. In addition, critical factors controlling expression of Treg/effector genes, including reactive oxygen species and heme-responsive master transcription factor BACH2, were found to be upregulated in endometriotic lesions. As shown recently for cancer microenvironments, microbial inflammation may also contribute to the local composition of FOXP3+ subpopulations in endometriotic lesions. Furthermore, cytokines, such as IL-7, which control the homeostasis of Treg subsets through the tyrosine phosphorylation STAT5 signalling pathway, have also been shown to be dysregulated. To better understand the role of Treg in the development of endometriosis, future studies should use clear definitions of Tregs along with specific characterization of the non-Treg (FOXP3lowCD45RA-) fraction, which itself is a mixture of follicular Tregs and cells producing inflammatory cytokines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jure Knez
- Clinic for Gynaecology, Department for Gynaecological Oncology, University Medical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Borut Kovačič
- Clinic for Gynaecology, Department for Reproductive Medicine, University Medical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Aleš Goropevšek
- Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, University Medical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
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Calmon MS, Lemos FFB, Silva Luz M, Rocha Pinheiro SL, de Oliveira Silva LG, Correa Santos GL, Rocha GR, Freire de Melo F. Immune pathway through endometriosis to ovarian cancer. World J Clin Oncol 2024; 15:496-522. [PMID: 38689629 PMCID: PMC11056862 DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v15.i4.496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent inflammatory disease, defined by the presence of functional endometrial tissue outside of the uterine cavity. This disease is one of the main gynecological diseases, affecting around 10%-15% women and girls of reproductive age, being a common gynecologic disorder. Although endometriosis is a benign disease, it shares several characteristics with invasive cancer. Studies support that it has been linked with an increased chance of developing endometrial ovarian cancer, representing an earlier stage of neoplastic processes. This is particularly true for women with clear cell carcinoma, low-grade serous carcinoma and endometrioid. However, the carcinogenic pathways between both pathologies remain poorly understood. Current studies suggest a connection between endometriosis and endometriosis-associated ovarian cancers (EAOCs) via pathways associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, and hyperestrogenism. This article aims to review current data on the molecular events linked to the development of EAOCs from endometriosis, specifically focusing on the complex relationship between the immune response to endometriosis and cancer, including the molecular mechanisms and their ramifications. Examining recent developments in immunotherapy and their potential to boost the effectiveness of future treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Santos Calmon
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Fabian Fellipe Bueno Lemos
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Marcel Silva Luz
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Samuel Luca Rocha Pinheiro
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Bahia, Brazil
| | | | - Gabriel Lima Correa Santos
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Reis Rocha
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Fabrício Freire de Melo
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista 45029-094, Bahia, Brazil
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O'Brien JA, Karrasch JF, Huang Y, Vine EE, Cunningham AL, Harman AN, Austin PJ. Nerve-myeloid cell interactions in persistent human pain: a reappraisal using updated cell subset classifications. Pain 2024; 165:753-771. [PMID: 37975868 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT The past 20 years have seen a dramatic shift in our understanding of the role of the immune system in initiating and maintaining pain. Myeloid cells, including macrophages, dendritic cells, Langerhans cells, and mast cells, are increasingly implicated in bidirectional interactions with nerve fibres in rodent pain models. However, our understanding of the human setting is still poor. High-dimensional functional analyses have substantially changed myeloid cell classifications, with recently described subsets such as epidermal dendritic cells and DC3s unveiling new insight into how myeloid cells interact with nerve fibres. However, it is unclear whether this new understanding has informed the study of human chronic pain. In this article, we perform a scoping review investigating neuroimmune interactions between myeloid cells and peripheral nerve fibres in human chronic pain conditions. We found 37 papers from multiple pain states addressing this aim in skin, cornea, peripheral nerve, endometrium, and tumour, with macrophages, Langerhans cells, and mast cells the most investigated. The directionality of results between studies was inconsistent, although the clearest pattern was an increase in macrophage frequency across conditions, phases, and tissues. Myeloid cell definitions were often outdated and lacked correspondence with the stated cell types of interest; overreliance on morphology and traditional structural markers gave limited insight into the functional characteristics of investigated cells. We therefore critically reappraise the existing literature considering contemporary myeloid cell biology and advocate for the application of established and emerging high-dimensional proteomic and transcriptomic single-cell technologies to clarify the role of specific neuroimmune interactions in chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayden A O'Brien
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jackson F Karrasch
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Virus Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, Australia
| | - Yun Huang
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Erica E Vine
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Virus Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, Australia
| | - Anthony L Cunningham
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Virus Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, Australia
| | - Andrew N Harman
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Virus Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, Australia
| | - Paul J Austin
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Virus Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, Australia
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Liu J, Miao X, Yao J, Wan Z, Yang X, Tian W. Investigating the clinical role and prognostic value of genes related to insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway in thyroid cancer. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:2934-2952. [PMID: 38329437 PMCID: PMC10911384 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thyroid cancer (THCA) is the most common endocrine malignancy having a female predominance. The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) pathway contributed to the unregulated cell proliferation in multiple malignancies. We aimed to explore the IGF-related signature for THCA prognosis. METHOD The TCGA-THCA dataset was collected from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for screening of key prognostic genes. The limma R package was applied for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and the clusterProfiler R package was used for the Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG analysis of DEGs. Then, the un/multivariate and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) Cox regression analysis was used for the establishment of RiskScore model. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to verify the model's predictive performance. CIBERSORT and MCP-counter algorithms were applied for immune infiltration analysis. Finally, we analyzed the mutation features and the correlation between the RiskScore and cancer hallmark pathway by using the GSEA. RESULT We obtained 5 key RiskScore model genes for patient's risk stratification from the 721 DEGs. ROC analysis indicated that our model is an ideal classifier, the high-risk patients are associated with the poor prognosis, immune infiltration, high tumor mutation burden (TMB), stronger cancer stemness and stronger correlation with the typical cancer-activation pathways. A nomogram combined with multiple clinical features was developed and exhibited excellent performance upon long-term survival quantitative prediction. CONCLUSIONS We constructed an excellent prognostic model RiskScore based on IGF-related signature and concluded that the IGF signal pathway may become a reliable prognostic phenotype in THCA intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyan Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Xin Miao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Jing Yao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Zheng Wan
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Xiaodong Yang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Wen Tian
- Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
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He X, Fang J, Gong M, Zhang J, Xie R, Zhao D, Gu Y, Ma L, Pang X, Cui Y. Identification of immune-associated signatures and potential therapeutic targets for pulmonary arterial hypertension. J Cell Mol Med 2023; 27:3864-3877. [PMID: 37753829 PMCID: PMC10718157 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) comprises a heterogeneous group of diseases with diverse aetiologies. It is characterized by increased pulmonary arterial pressure and right ventricular (RV) failure without specific drugs for treatment. Emerging evidence suggests that inflammation and autoimmune disorders are common features across all PAH phenotypes. This provides a novel idea to explore the characteristics of immunological disorders in PAH and identify immune-related genes or biomarkers for specific anti-remodelling regimens. In this study, we integrated three gene expression profiles and performed Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analysis. CIBERSORT was utilized to estimate the abundance of tissue-infiltrating immune cells in PAH. The PPI network and machine learning were constructed to identify immune-related hub genes and then evaluate the relationship between hub genes and differential immune cells using ImmucellAI. Additionally, we implemented molecular docking to screen potential small-molecule compounds based on the obtained genes. Our findings demonstrated the density and distribution of infiltrating CD4 T cells in PAH and identified four immune-related genes (ROCK2, ATHL1, HSP90AA1 and ACTR2) as potential targets. We also listed 20 promising molecules, including TDI01953, pemetrexed acid and radotinib, for PAH treatment. These results provide a promising avenue for further research into immunological disorders in PAH and potential novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu He
- Department of PharmacyPeking University First HospitalBeijingChina
- Institute of Clinical PharmacologyPeking University First HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Jiansong Fang
- Science and Technology Innovation CenterGuangzhou University of Chinese MedicineGuangzhouChina
| | - Mingli Gong
- Department of PharmacyPeking University First HospitalBeijingChina
- School of PharmacyXu Zhou Medical UniversityXuzhouChina
| | - Juqi Zhang
- Department of PharmacyPeking University First HospitalBeijingChina
- Institute of Clinical PharmacologyPeking University First HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Ran Xie
- Department of PharmacyPeking University First HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Dai Zhao
- Science and Technology Innovation CenterGuangzhou University of Chinese MedicineGuangzhouChina
| | - Yanlun Gu
- Department of PharmacyPeking University First HospitalBeijingChina
- Institute of Clinical PharmacologyPeking University First HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Lingyue Ma
- Department of PharmacyPeking University First HospitalBeijingChina
- Institute of Clinical PharmacologyPeking University First HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Xiaocong Pang
- Department of PharmacyPeking University First HospitalBeijingChina
- Institute of Clinical PharmacologyPeking University First HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Yimin Cui
- Department of PharmacyPeking University First HospitalBeijingChina
- Institute of Clinical PharmacologyPeking University First HospitalBeijingChina
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Yang H, Zhuang Y. The deviations of CD4 + T cells during peripheral blood and peritoneal fluid of endometriosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2023; 308:1431-1446. [PMID: 36840769 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-023-06964-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess whether endometriosis (EMs) was related to systematic and/or local deviations of cluster of differentiation (CD)4 + T cells. METHODS Until November 2022, we enrolled a total of 1363 EMs and 1564 healthy women from 32 studies who met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS After systematically retrieving the literature, we identified 1086 citations and 32 case-control studies were enrolled. Cumulative results suggested that there were insignificant deviations of CD4 + T cells during peripheral blood (PB) between EMs and healthy women (RR: - 0.83, I2 = 99%, p = 0.65), also no statistically significant difference was found between mild and severe EMs (RR: 3.19, I2 = 94%, p = 0.19). We also found insignificant deviations of CD4 + /CD8 + during PB between EMs and healthy women (RR: 0.09, I2 = 99%, p = 0.39), and between mild and severe EMs (RR: - 0.16, I2 = 99%, p = 0.29). The results might suggest that there was no significant correlation between EMs and systematic deviations of CD4 + T cells. When it came to local deviation during peritoneal fluid (PF), the polled results suggested that the frequency of CD4 + T cells during EMs was significantly lower than healthy women (RR: - 5.38, I2 = 93%, p = 0.01), and the ratio of CD4 + /CD8 + during EMs was significantly lower than healthy women (RR: - 0.13, I2 = 0%, p < 0.0001). However, there were insignificant deviations of CD4 + during PF between mild and severe EMs (RR: 1.65, I2 = 53%, p = 0.15), also there was an insignificant difference of CD4 + /CD8 + between mild and severe EMs (RR: - 0.09, I2 = 14%, p = 0.19). EMs might be closely related to local deviations of CD4 + T cells. CONCLUSION There was no obvious correlation between EMs and systematic deviations of CD4 + T cells, EMs might be closely related to local deviations of CD4 + T cells. Further study on the functional deviations and subpopulation distribution of CD4 + T cells is urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Yang
- Department of Gynecology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
| | - Yuan Zhuang
- Department of Gynecology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China.
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Gao X, Gao H, Shao W, Wang J, Li M, Liu S. The Extracellular Vesicle-Macrophage Regulatory Axis: A Novel Pathogenesis for Endometriosis. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1376. [PMID: 37759776 PMCID: PMC10527545 DOI: 10.3390/biom13091376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis (EMs) is a common disease among women whose pathogenesis is still unclear, although there are various hypotheses. Recent studies have considered macrophages the key part of the immune system in developing EMs, inducing inflammation, the growth and invasion of the ectopic endometrium, and angiogenesis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) as novel intercellular vesicle traffic, can be secreted by many kinds of cells, including macrophages. By carrying long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), microRNA (miRNA), or other molecules, EVs can regulate the biological functions of macrophages in an autocrine and paracrine manner, including ectopic lesion growth, immune dysfunction, angiogenesis, and can further accelerate the progression of EMs. In this review, the interactions between macrophages and EVs for the pathogenesis of EMs are summarized. Notably, the regulatory pathways and molecular mechanisms of EVs secreted by macrophages during EMs are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Gao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China; (X.G.); (H.G.); (W.S.); (J.W.)
| | - Han Gao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China; (X.G.); (H.G.); (W.S.); (J.W.)
| | - Wei Shao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China; (X.G.); (H.G.); (W.S.); (J.W.)
| | - Jiaqi Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China; (X.G.); (H.G.); (W.S.); (J.W.)
| | - Mingqing Li
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Institute Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Songping Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China; (X.G.); (H.G.); (W.S.); (J.W.)
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Lv SJ, Sun JN, Gan L, Sun J. Identification of molecular subtypes and immune infiltration in endometriosis: a novel bioinformatics analysis and In vitro validation. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1130738. [PMID: 37662927 PMCID: PMC10471803 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1130738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Endometriosis is a worldwide gynacological diseases, affecting in 6-10% of women of reproductive age. The aim of this study was to investigate the gene network and potential signatures of immune infiltration in endometriosis. Methods The expression profiles of GSE51981, GSE6364, and GSE7305 were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Core modules and central genes related to immune characteristics were identified using a weighted gene coexpression network analysis. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to identify central genes in immune infiltration. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was used to identify the hub genes. We then constructed subtypes of endometriosis samples and calculated their correlation with hub genes. qRTPCR and Western blotting were used to verify our findings. Results We identified 10 candidate hub genes (GZMB, PRF1, KIR2DL1, KIR2DL3, KIR3DL1, KIR2DL4, FGB, IGFBP1, RBP4, and PROK1) that were significantly correlated with immune infiltration. Our study established a detailed immune network and systematically elucidated the molecular mechanism underlying endometriosis from the aspect of immune infiltration. Discussion Our study provides comprehensive insights into the immunology involved in endometriosis and might contribute to the development of immunotherapy for endometriosis. Furthermore, our study sheds light on the underlying molecular mechanism of endometriosis and might help improve the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-ji Lv
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia-ni Sun
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Gan
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jing Sun
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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Kisovar A, Becker CM, Granne I, Southcombe JH. The role of CD8+ T cells in endometriosis: a systematic review. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1225639. [PMID: 37497226 PMCID: PMC10366819 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1225639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Endometriosis is a chronic disease affecting 6-10% of women of reproductive age. It is an important cause of infertility and chronic pelvic pain with poorly understood aetiology. CD8+ T (CD8 T) cells were shown to be linked to infertility and chronic pain and play a significant role in lesion clearance in other pathologies, yet their function in endometriosis is unknown. We systematically evaluated the literature on the CD8 T in peripheral blood and endometriosis-associated tissues to determine the current understanding of their pathophysiological and clinical relevance in the disease and associated conditions (e.g. infertility and pelvic pain). Methods Four databases were searched (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL), from database inception until September 2022, for papers written in the English language with database-specific relevant terms/free-text terms from two categories: CD8 T cells and endometriosis. We included peer-reviewed papers investigating CD8 T cells in peripheral blood and endometriosis-associated tissues of patients with surgically confirmed endometriosis between menarche and menopause, and animal models with oestrous cycles. Studies enrolling participants with other gynaecological pathologies (except uterine fibroids and tubal factor infertility used as controls), cancer, immune diseases, or taking immune or hormonal therapy were excluded. Results 28 published case-control studies and gene set analyses investigating CD8 T cells in endometriosis were included. Data consistently indicate that CD8 T cells are enriched in endometriotic lesions in comparison to eutopic endometrium, with no differences in peripheral blood CD8 T populations between patients and healthy controls. Evidence on CD8 T cells in peritoneal fluid and eutopic endometrium is conflicting. CD8 T cell cytotoxicity was increased in the menstrual effluent of patients, and genomic analyses have shown a clear trend of enriched CD8 T effector memory cells in the eutopic endometrium of patients. Conclusion Literature on CD8 T cells in endometriosis-associated tissues is inconsistent. Increased CD8 T levels are found in endometriotic lesions, however, their activation potential is understudied in all relevant tissues. Future research should focus on identifying clinically relevant phenotypes to support the development of non-invasive diagnostic and treatment strategies. Systematic Review Registration PROSPERO identifier CRD42021233304.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jennifer H. Southcombe
- Nuffield Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Zhao X, Luo D, Liu T, Zhang H, Xie Y, Kong W. BIBR1532 Affects Endometrial Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion in Endometriosis via Telomerase Inhibition and MAPK Signaling. Gynecol Obstet Invest 2023; 88:226-239. [PMID: 37429261 DOI: 10.1159/000530460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The effect of telomerase inhibitor BIBR1532 on endometriotic cells was investigated to explore the inhibitory effect of targeting telomerase on endometriosis. DESIGN In vitro primary cell culture study. Participants/Materials: Primary endometrial cells derived from eutopic and ectopic endometrium in patients with endometriosis. SETTING The study was conducted in the university hospital. METHODS Paired eutopic and ectopic endometrial cells were collected from 6 patients from January 2018 to July 2021. A TRAP assay was performed to detect the telomerase activity of the cells. MTT, cell cycle, apoptosis, migration, and invasion assays were performed to study the inhibitory effect of BIBR1532. Enrichment analysis was performed to identify the key pathways involved in endometriosis progression and telomerase action. Then, Western blotting was used to investigate the expression of related proteins. RESULTS BIBR1532 treatment significantly inhibited the growth of eutopic and ectopic endometrial cells, with apoptosis and cell cycle signaling involved. Migration and invasion, important characteristics for the establishment of ectopic lesions, were also inhibited by BIBR1532. The MAPK signaling cascade, related to telomerase and endometriosis, was decreased in eutopic and ectopic endometrial stromal cells with the treatment of BIBR1532. LIMITATIONS The severe side effects of telomerase inhibitors might be the main obstacle to clinical application, so it is necessary to find better drug delivery methods in vivo. CONCLUSIONS The telomerase inhibitor BIBR1532 affects endometrial cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Zhao
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Dan Luo
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Liu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - He Zhang
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yunkai Xie
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Weimin Kong
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China
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Huang X, Wu L, Pei T, Liu D, Liu C, Luo B, Xiao L, Li Y, Wang R, Ouyang Y, Zhu H, Huang W. Single-cell transcriptome analysis reveals endometrial immune microenvironment in minimal/mild endometriosis. Clin Exp Immunol 2023; 212:285-295. [PMID: 36869723 PMCID: PMC10243848 DOI: 10.1093/cei/uxad029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis is a common inflammatory disorder in women of reproductive age due to an abnormal endometrial immune environment and is associated with infertility. This study aimed to systematically understand the endometrial leukocyte types, inflammatory environment, and impaired receptivity at single-cell resolution. We profiled single-cell RNA transcriptomes of 138 057 endometrial cells from endometriosis patients (n = 6) and control (n = 7), respectively, using 10x Genomics platform. We found that one cluster of epithelial cells that expressed PAEP and CXCL14 was mostly from the control during the window of implantation (WOI). This epithelial cell type is absent in the eutopic endometrium during the secretory phase. The proportion of endometrial immune cells decreased in the secretory phase in the control group, whereas the cycle variation of total immune cells, NK cells, and T cells was absent in endometriosis. Endometrial immune cells secreted more IL-10 in the secretory phase than in the proliferative phase in the control group; the opposite trend was observed in endometriosis. Proinflammatory cytokines levels in the endometrial immune cells were higher in endometriosis than in the control group. Trajectory analysis revealed that the secretory phase epithelial cells decreased in endometriosis. Ligand-receptor analysis revealed that 11 ligand-receptor pairs were upregulated between endometrial immune and epithelial cells during WOI. These results provide new insights into the endometrial immune microenvironment and impaired endometrial receptivity in infertile women with minimal/mild endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Huang
- Division of Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Chronobiology (Sichuan University), Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lukanxuan Wu
- Division of Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Chronobiology (Sichuan University), Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tianjiao Pei
- Division of Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Chronobiology (Sichuan University), Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Dong Liu
- Division of Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chang Liu
- Division of Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Bin Luo
- Division of Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Li Xiao
- Division of Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yujing Li
- Division of Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Chronobiology (Sichuan University), Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruiying Wang
- Division of Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Chronobiology (Sichuan University), Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yunwei Ouyang
- Division of Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Huili Zhu
- Division of Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Division of Reproductive Medicine, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Chronobiology (Sichuan University), Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Liu S, Fan S, Wang Y, Chen R, Wang Z, Zhang Y, Jiang W, Chen Y, Xu X, Yu Y, Li C, Li X. ACSL4 serves as a novel prognostic biomarker correlated with immune infiltration in Cholangiocarcinoma. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:444. [PMID: 37193981 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-10903-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cholangiocarcinoma (CHOL) is the second most common primary hepatic malignant tumor, following hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). CHOL is highly aggressive and heterogeneous resulting in poor prognosis. The diagnosis and prognosis of CHOL has not improved in the past decade. Acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) is reported to be associated with tumors, however, its role in CHOL has not been revealed. This study is mainly for exploring the prognostic values and potential function of ACSL4 in CHOL. METHODS We investigated the expression level and prognostic value of ACSL4 in CHOL based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. TIMER2.0, TISIDB and CIBERSORT databases were utilized to assess the associations between ACSL4 and immune infiltration cells in CHOL. Single-cell sequencing data from GSE138709 was analyzed to study the expression of ACSL4 in different types of cells. ACSL4 co-expressed genes were analyzed by Linkedomics. Additionally, Western Blot, qPCR, EdU assay, CCK8 assay, transwell assay and wound healing assay were performed to further confirm the roles of ACSL4 in the pathogenesis of CHOL. RESULTS We found that the level of ACSL4 was higher in CHOL and it was correlated with the diagnosis and prognosis of CHOL patients. Then, we observed that the infiltration level of immune cells was related to the level of ACSL4 in CHOL. Moreover, ACSL4 and its co-expressed genes were mainly enriched in metabolism-related pathway and ACSL4 is also a key pro-ferroptosis gene in CHOL. Finally, knockdown of ACSL4 could reverse the tumor-promoting effect of ACSL4 in CHOL. CONCLUSIONS The current findings demonstrated ACSL4 may as a novel biomarker for CHOL patients, which might regulate immune microenvironment and metabolism resulting in poor prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuochen Liu
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Shilong Fan
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Yirui Wang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Ruixiang Chen
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Ziyi Wang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaodong Zhang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Wangjie Jiang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Yananlan Chen
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiao Xu
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Yue Yu
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China.
| | - Changxian Li
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China.
| | - Xiangcheng Li
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China.
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Chen Q, Jiao Y, Yin Z, Fu X, Guo S, Zhou Y, Wang Y. Establishment of a novel glycolysis-immune-related diagnosis gene signature for endometriosis by machine learning. J Assist Reprod Genet 2023; 40:1147-1161. [PMID: 36930359 PMCID: PMC10239430 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-023-02769-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The objective of this study was to investigate the key glycolysis-related genes linked to immune cell infiltration in endometriosis and to develop a new endometriosis (EMS) predictive model. METHODS A training set and a test set were created from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) public database. We identified five glycolysis-related genes using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and the random forest method. Then, we developed and tested a prediction model for EMS diagnosis. The CIBERSORT method was used to compare the infiltration of 22 different immune cells. We examined the relationship between key glycolysis-related genes and immune factors in the eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis. In addition, Gene Ontology (GO)-based semantic similarity and logistic regression model analyses were used to investigate core genes. Reverse real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) of 5 target genes was analysed. RESULTS The five glycolysis-related hub genes (CHPF, CITED2, GPC3, PDK3, ADH6) were used to establish a predictive model for EMS. In the training and test sets, the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) prediction model was 0.777, 0.824, and 0.774. Additionally, there was a remarkable difference in the immune environment between the EMS and control groups. Eventually, the five target genes were verified by RT-qPCR. CONCLUSION The glycolysis-immune-based predictive model was established to forecast EMS patients' diagnosis, and a detailed comprehension of the interactions between endometriosis, glycolysis, and the immune system may be vital for the recognition of potential novel therapeutic approaches and targets for EMS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qizhen Chen
- Reproductive Medical Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yufan Jiao
- Reproductive Medical Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhe Yin
- Reproductive Medical Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiayan Fu
- Reproductive Medical Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shana Guo
- Reproductive Medical Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuhua Zhou
- Department of Ultrasonography, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yanqiu Wang
- Reproductive Medical Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Ekemen S, Comunoglu C, Kayhan CK, Bilir E, Cavusoglu I, Etiler N, Bilgi S, Ince U, Coban C, Erden HF. Endometrial Staining of CD56 (Uterine Natural Killer), BCL-6, and CD138 (Plasma Cells) Improve Diagnosis and Clinical Pregnancy Outcomes in Unexplained Infertility and Recurrent IVF Failures: Standardization of Diagnosis with Digital Pathology. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13091557. [PMID: 37174948 PMCID: PMC10177933 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13091557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In women with unexplained infertility (UI) and recurrent in vitro fertilization (IVF) failures, the etiology is often unclear. Endometrial immune perturbations and the use of immune markers associated with these dysregulations are of great interest in the diagnosis and treatment of UI. However, reliable biomarkers and standardized quantification methods are lacking. Here, to address endometrial immune dysregulation in UI patients with recurrent IVF failures, we performed endometrial tissue sampling and immunostaining of CD56 (uNK), CD138, and BCL-6. Of these cases, 57.9% had positive CD56 in the endometrial stroma, while 46.1% had positive BCL-6 in the glandular epithelium, and 14.5% of the cases were found to be positive for CD138. Combined staining rates were 60.5%, 68.4%, and 71.05% for (CD56 or BCL-6), (CD56 or CD138), and (CD56, BCL-6, or CD138), respectively. There was a significant correlation between CD56 and BCL-6 positivity, while CD138 positivity was an independent parameter. After the recommended targeted therapy, pregnancy rates were found to increase from 58.5% to 61.6% and 73.8% in CD56-positive, (CD56- or BCL-6-positive), and (CD56-, BCL-6-, or CD138-positive) cases, respectively. Notably, a retrospective evaluation of digital pathology and light microscopy results showed a significant correlation. This study suggests that the examination of CD56, BCL-6, and CD138 in the same endometrial sample may be an effective method in determining the etiology of UI and reaching an early diagnosis and treatment options. Moreover, digital pathology can be used in the evaluation of CD56 and BCL-6 to provide objective, rapid, and reliable results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suheyla Ekemen
- Vocational School of Health Services, Kerem Aydınlar Campus, Acıbadem University, Istanbul 34752, Turkey
- Acibadem Central Pathology Laboratory, Kerem Aydinlar Campus, Istanbul 34752, Turkey
| | - Cem Comunoglu
- Department of Pathology, Dr. Cemil Tascioglu City Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul 34668, Turkey
| | - Cavit Kerem Kayhan
- Acibadem Central Pathology Laboratory, Kerem Aydinlar Campus, Istanbul 34752, Turkey
| | - Ebru Bilir
- School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul 34349, Turkey
| | - Ilkay Cavusoglu
- Women's Health and Gynecological Nursing, Institute of Health Sciences, Biruni University, Istanbul 34010, Turkey
| | - Nilay Etiler
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Istanbul Okan University, Istanbul 34947, Turkey
- Public Health Department, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89509, USA
| | - Selcuk Bilgi
- Acibadem Central Pathology Laboratory, Kerem Aydinlar Campus, Istanbul 34752, Turkey
| | - Umit Ince
- Acibadem Central Pathology Laboratory, Kerem Aydinlar Campus, Istanbul 34752, Turkey
- Department of Digital Pathology, School of Medicine, Acıbadem University, Istanbul 34752, Turkey
| | - Cevayir Coban
- Division of Malaria Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science (IMSUT), University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Halit Firat Erden
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Infertility Clinic, Zorlu Center, Istanbul 34340, Turkey
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15
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Tian Y, Zeng Q, Cheng Y, Wang XH, Cao D, Yeung WSB, Liu Q, Duan YG, Yao YQ. Follicular helper T lymphocytes in the endometria of patients with reproductive failure: Association with pregnancy outcomes and inflammatory status of the endometria. Am J Reprod Immunol 2023:e13708. [PMID: 37095737 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM The phenotypes and functions of B and CD4+ T-helper cell subsets during chronic inflammation of the endometria remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and functions of follicular helper T (Tfh) cells to understand the pathological mechanisms of chronic endometritis (CE). METHOD OF STUDY Eighty patients who underwent hysteroscopic and histopathological examinations for CE were divided into three groups-those with positive results for hysteroscopy and CD138 staining (DP), negative results for hysteroscopy but positive CD138 staining (SP), and negative results for hysteroscopy and CD138 staining (DN). The phenotypes of B cells and CD4+ T-cell subsets were analyzed using flow cytometry. RESULTS CD38+ and CD138+ cells were mainly expressed in the non-leukocyte population of the endometria, and the endometrial CD19+ CD138+ B cells were fewer than the CD3+ CD138+ T cells. The percentage of Tfh cells increased with chronic inflammation in the endometria. Additionally, the elevated percentage of Tfh cells correlated with the number of miscarriages. CONCLUSIONS CD4+ T cells, particularly Tfh cells, may be critical in chronic endometrial inflammation and affect its microenvironment, thereby regulating endometrial receptivity, compared to B cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Tian
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medicine Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qunxiong Zeng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yanfei Cheng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiao-Hui Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dandan Cao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - William Shu-Biu Yeung
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qingzhi Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yong-Gang Duan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuan-Qing Yao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medicine Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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Qin Y, Zhang W, Bian Z, Fei C, Su L, Xue R, Zhang Q, Li Y, Chen P, Shi Y, Li M, Mao C, Zhao X, Ji D, Lu T. The therapeutic mechanism of Curcumae Radix against primary dysmenorrea based on 5-HTR/Ca2+/MAPK and fatty acids metabolomics. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1087654. [PMID: 36969877 PMCID: PMC10034069 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1087654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background:Curcumae Radix (CW) is traditionally used to treat primary dysmenorrea (PD). However, the mechanisms of action of CW in the treatment of PD have not yet been comprehensively resolved.Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effects of CW on PD and its possible mechanisms of action.Methods: An isolated uterine spastic contraction model induced by oxytocin was constructed in an in vitro pharmacodynamic assay. An animal model of PD induced by combined estradiol benzoate and adrenaline hydrochloride-assisted stimulation was established. After oral administration of CW, a histopathological examination was performed and biochemical factor levels were measured to evaluate the therapeutic effect of CW on PD. The chemical compositions of the drug-containing serum and its metabolites were analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry. Network pharmacology and serum untargeted metabolomics were used to predict the mechanism of CW treatment for PD, and the predicted results were validated by RT-qPCR, WB, and targeted fatty acid (FA) metabolism.Results:In vitro, CW can relax an isolated uterus by reducing uterine motility. In vivo, the results showed that CW attenuated histopathological damage in the uterus and regulated PGF2α, PGE2, β-EP, 5-HT, and Ca2+ levels in PD rats. A total of 66 compounds and their metabolites were identified in the drug-containing serum, and the metabolic pathways of these components mainly included hydrogenation and oxidation. Mechanistic studies showed that CW downregulated the expression of key genes in the 5-HTR/Ca2+/MAPK pathway, such as 5-HTR2A, IP3R, PKC, cALM, and ERK. Similarly, CW downregulated the expression of key proteins in the 5-HTR/Ca2+/MAPK pathway, such as p-ERK/ERK. Indirectly, it ameliorates the abnormal FA metabolism downstream of this signaling pathway in PD rats, especially the metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA).Conclusion: The development of PD may be associated with the inhibition of the 5-HTR/Ca2+/MAPK signaling pathway and FA metabolic pathways, providing a basis for the subsequent exploitation of CW.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuwen Qin
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Decoction Pieces of New Manufacturing Technology, Hefei, China
| | - Zhenhua Bian
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Wuxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Wuxi, China
| | - Chenghao Fei
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Lianlin Su
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Rong Xue
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu Li
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Peng Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yabo Shi
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Mingxuan Li
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Chunqin Mao
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Provincial Engineering Research Center of TCM External Medication Development and Application, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Traditional Chinese Medicine Concoction Technology Inheritance Base, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhao
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoli Zhao, ; De Ji, ; Tulin Lu,
| | - De Ji
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoli Zhao, ; De Ji, ; Tulin Lu,
| | - Tulin Lu
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Provincial Engineering Research Center of TCM External Medication Development and Application, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Traditional Chinese Medicine Concoction Technology Inheritance Base, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoli Zhao, ; De Ji, ; Tulin Lu,
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Lin C, Zeng S, Li M. miR-424-5p combined with miR-17-5p has high diagnostic efficacy for endometriosis. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2023; 307:169-177. [PMID: 35366691 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-022-06492-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Endometriosis (EMT) is a chronic benign disease with high prevalence. This study investigated the diagnostic value of serum miR-17-5p, miR-424-5p, and their combined expressions for EMT. METHODS Total 80 EMT patients of reproductive age who underwent laparoscopy or laparotomy and were confirmed by pathological examination were included as the study subjects, and another 80 healthy women of reproductive age receiving gynecological examination and ultrasonography with no pelvic abnormalities were selected as the control group. The whole blood samples of enrolled subjects were collected and clinical characteristics were recorded. The miR-17-5p, miR-424-5p, VEGFA, IL-4, and IL-6 levels in the serum were measured. ROC curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of miR-17-5p and miR-424-5p expressions for EMT. Pearson correlation was performed to analyze the correlation of miR-17-5p and miR-424-5p with clinical indexes in EMT patients. RESULTS miR-17-5p and miR-424-5p were downregulated in EMT patients. For diagnosing EMT, the AUC of miR-17-5p was 0.865 and cutoff value was 0.890 (91.3% sensitivity and 85% specificity), the AUC of miR-424-5p was 0.737, and cutoff value was 0.915 (98.8% sensitivity and 61.2% specificity), and the AUC of miR-424-5p combined with miR-17-5p was 0.938 and cutoff value was 2.205 (93.8% sensitivity and 88.7% specificity), with the diagnostic efficacy higher than miR-424-5p or miR-17-5p alone. miR-17-5p and miR-424-5p expressions were negatively correlated with dysmenorrhea, infertility, pelvic pain, and rASRM stage, but not with age, BMI, menstrual disorder, and nulliparity. VEGFA, IL-4, IL-6, and CA-125 were increased in EMT patients and were inversely associated with miR-17-5p and miR-424-5p. CONCLUSION miR-424-5p combined with miR-17-5p has high diagnostic efficacy for EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunli Lin
- Department of Gynecology, Hunan Province Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, 53 Xiangchun Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
| | - Saili Zeng
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Hospital of University of South China, 30 Jiefang Road, Shigu District, Hengyang, 421000, Hunan, China.
| | - Miaojie Li
- Department of Gynecology, People's Hospital of Yuxi City, Yuxi, 653100, Yunnan, China
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Guo B, Chen JH, Zhang JH, Fang Y, Liu XJ, Zhang J, Zhu HQ, Zhan L. Pattern-recognition receptors in endometriosis: A narrative review. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1161606. [PMID: 37033937 PMCID: PMC10076794 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1161606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis is closely associated with ectopic focal inflammation and immunosuppressive microenvironment. Multiple types of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are present in the innate immune system, which are able to detect pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) in both intracellular and external environments. However, the exact role of PRRs in endometriosis and the underlying molecular mechanism are unclear. PRRs are necessary for the innate immune system to identify and destroy invasive foreign infectious agents. Mammals mainly have two types of microbial recognition systems. The first one consists of the membrane-bound receptors, such as toll-like receptors (TLRs), which recognize extracellular microorganisms and activate intracellular signals to stimulate immune responses. The second one consists of the intracellular PRRs, including nod-like receptors (NLRs) and antiviral proteins retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA-5) with helix enzyme domain. In this review, we mainly focus on the key role of PRRs in the pathological processes associated with endometriosis. PRRs recognize PAMPs and can distinguish pathogenic microorganisms from self, triggering receptor ligand reaction followed by the stimulation of host immune response. Activated immune response promotes the transmission of microbial infection signals to the cells. As endometriosis is characterized by dysregulated inflammation and immune response, PRRs may potentially be involved in the activation of endometriosis-associated inflammation and immune disorders. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), nod-like receptor family caspase activation and recruitment domain (CARD) domain containing 5 (NLRC5), nod-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), and c-type lectin receptors (CLRs) play essential roles in endometriosis development by regulating immune and inflammatory responses. Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2)-like receptors (ALRs) and retinoic acid-inducible gene I-like receptors (RLRs) may be involved in the activation of endometriosis-associated immune and inflammation disorders. PRRs, especially TLRs, may serve as potential therapeutic targets for alleviating pain in endometriosis patients. PRRs and their ligands interact with the innate immune system to enhance inflammation in the stromal cells during endometriosis. Thus, targeting PRRs and their new synthetic ligands may provide new therapeutic options for treating endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao Guo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jia hua Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jun hui Zhang
- First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yuan Fang
- First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xiao jing Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Hai qing Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Lei Zhan
- Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- *Correspondence: Lei Zhan,
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Liu S, Zhang YL, Zhang LY, Zhao GJ, Lu ZQ. FCGR2C: An emerging immune gene for predicting sepsis outcome. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1028785. [PMID: 36532072 PMCID: PMC9757160 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1028785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sepsis is a life-threatening disease associated with immunosuppression. Immunosuppression could ultimately increase sepsis mortality. This study aimed to identify the prognostic biomarkers related to immunity in sepsis. Methods Public datasets of sepsis downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were divided into the discovery cohort and the first validation cohort. We used R software to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and analyzed DEGs' functional enrichment in the discovery dataset. Immune-related genes (IRGs) were filtered from the GeneCards website. A Lasso regression model was used to screen candidate prognostic genes from the intersection of DEGs and IRGs. Then, the candidate prognostic genes with significant differences were identified as prognostic genes in the first validation cohort. We further validated the expression of the prognostic genes in the second validation cohort of 81 septic patients recruited from our hospital. In addition, we used four immune infiltration methods (MCP-counter, ssGSEA, ImmuCellAI, and CIBERSORT) to analyze immune cell composition in sepsis. We also explored the correlation between the prognostic biomarker and immune cells. Results First, 140 genes were identified as prognostic-related immune genes from the intersection of DEGs and IRGs. We screened 18 candidate prognostic genes in the discovery cohort with the lasso regression model. Second, in the first validation cohort, we identified 4 genes (CFHR2, FCGR2C, GFI1, and TICAM1) as prognostic immune genes. Subsequently, we found that FCGR2C was the only gene differentially expressed between survivors and non-survivors in 81 septic patients. In the discovery and first validation cohorts, the AUC values of FCGR2C were 0.73 and 0.67, respectively. FCGR2C (AUC=0.84) had more value than SOFA (AUC=0.80) and APACHE II (AUC=0.69) in evaluating the prognosis of septic patients in our recruitment cohort. Moreover, FCGR2C may be closely related to many immune cells and functions, such as B cells, NK cells, neutrophils, cytolytic activity, and inflammatory promotion. Finally, enrichment analysis showed that FCGR2C was enriched in the phagosome signaling pathway. Conclusion FCGR2C could be an immune biomarker associated with prognosis, which may be a new direction of immunotherapy to reduce sepsis mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Liu
- Emergency Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China,Special Medical Department, Nanchong Central Hospital, Nanchong, Sichuan, China
| | - Yao Lu Zhang
- Emergency Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lu Yao Zhang
- Emergency Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Guang Ju Zhao
- Emergency Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China,*Correspondence: Guang Ju Zhao, ; Zhong Qiu Lu,
| | - Zhong Qiu Lu
- Emergency Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China,*Correspondence: Guang Ju Zhao, ; Zhong Qiu Lu,
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ASPN Is a Potential Biomarker and Associated with Immune Infiltration in Endometriosis. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13081352. [PMID: 36011263 PMCID: PMC9407481 DOI: 10.3390/genes13081352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Endometriosis is a benign gynecological disease characterized by distant metastasis. Previous studies have discovered abnormal numbers and function of immune cells in endometriotic lesions. We aimed to find potential biomarkers of endometriosis and to explore the relationship between ASPN and the immune microenvironment of endometriosis. Methods: We obtained the GSE141549 and GSE7305 datasets containing endometriosis and normal endometrial samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO). In the GSE141549 dataset, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found. The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (Lasso) regression and generalized linear models (GLMs) were used to screen new biomarkers. The expression levels and diagnostic utility of biomarkers were assessed in GSE7305, and biomarker expression levels were further validated using qRT-PCR and western blot. We identified DEGs between high and low expression groups of key biomarkers. Enrichment analysis was carried out to discover the target gene’s biological function. We analyzed the relationship between key biomarker expression and patient clinical features. Finally, the immune cells that infiltrate endometriosis were assessed using the Microenvironment Cell Population-Counter (MCP-counter), and the correlation of biomarker expression with immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoints genes was studied. Results: There were a total of 38 DEGs discovered. Two machine learning techniques were used to identify 10 genes. Six biomarkers (SCG2, ASPN, SLIT2, GEM, EGR1, and FOS) had good diagnostic efficiency (AUC > 0.7) by internal and external validation. We excluded previously reported related genes (SLIT2, EGR1, and FOS). ASPN was the most significantly differentially expressed biomarker between normal and ectopic endometrial tissues, as verified by qPCR. The western blot assay revealed a significant upregulation of ASPN expression in endometriotic tissues. The investigation for DEGs in the ASPN high- and low-expression groups revealed that the DEGs were particularly enriched in extracellular matrix tissue, vascular smooth muscle contraction, cytokine interactions, the calcium signaling pathway, and the chemokine signaling pathway. High ASPN expression was related to r-AFS stage (p = 0.006), age (p = 0.03), and lesion location (p < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that ASPN expression was an independent influencing factor in patients with endometriosis. Immune cell infiltration analysis revealed a significant increase in T-cell, B-cell, and fibroblast infiltration in endometriosis lesions; cytotoxic lymphocyte, NK-cell, and endothelial cell infiltration were reduced. Additionally, the percentage of T cells, B cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells was favorably connected with ASPN expression, while the percentage of cytotoxic lymphocytes and NK cells was negatively correlated. Immune checkpoint gene (CTLA4, LAG3, CD27, CD40, and ICOS) expression and ASPN expression were positively associated. Conclusions: Increased expression of ASPN is associated with immune infiltration in endometriosis, and ASPN can be used as a diagnostic biomarker as well as a potential immunotherapeutic target in endometriosis.
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Xie M, Li Y, Meng YZ, Xu P, Yang YG, Dong S, He J, Hu Z. Uterine Natural Killer Cells: A Rising Star in Human Pregnancy Regulation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:918550. [PMID: 35720413 PMCID: PMC9198966 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.918550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells are an immune subset located in the uterus. uNK cells have distinct tissue-specific characteristics compared to their counterparts in peripheral blood and lymphoid organs. Based on their location and the pregnancy status of the host, uNK cells are classified as endometrial NK (eNK) cells or decidua NK (dNK) cells. uNK cells are important in protecting the host from pathogen invasion and contribute to a series of physiological processes that affect successful pregnancy, including uterine spiral artery remodeling, fetal development, and immunity tolerance. Abnormal alterations in uNK cell numbers and/or impaired function may cause pregnancy complications, such as recurrent miscarriage, preeclampsia, or even infertility. In this review, we introduce recent advances in human uNK cell research under normal physiological or pathological conditions, and summarize their unique influences on the process of pregnancy complications or uterine diseases. Finally, we propose the potential clinical use of uNK cells as a novel cellular immunotherapeutic approach for reproductive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Xie
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration & Transplantation of Ministry of Education, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.,National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yan Li
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration & Transplantation of Ministry of Education, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.,National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi-Zi Meng
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration & Transplantation of Ministry of Education, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.,National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Peng Xu
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration & Transplantation of Ministry of Education, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.,National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yong-Guang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration & Transplantation of Ministry of Education, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.,National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.,International Center of Future Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shuai Dong
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration & Transplantation of Ministry of Education, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.,National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jin He
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration & Transplantation of Ministry of Education, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zheng Hu
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration & Transplantation of Ministry of Education, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.,National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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22
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Hoogstad-van Evert J, Paap R, Nap A, van der Molen R. The Promises of Natural Killer Cell Therapy in Endometriosis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105539. [PMID: 35628346 PMCID: PMC9146217 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis is a gynaecological disease defined by the growth of endometrium-like tissue outside the uterus. The disease is present in approximately 5–10% of women of reproductive age and causes pelvic pain and infertility. The pathophysiology is not completely understood, but retrograde menstruation and deficiency in natural killer (NK) cells that clear endometriotic cells in the peritoneal cavity play an important role. Nowadays, hormonal therapy and surgery to remove endometriosis lesions are used as treatment. However, these therapies do not work for all patients, and hormonal therapy prevents patients from getting pregnant. Therefore, new treatment strategies should be developed. Since the cytotoxicity of NK cells is decreased in endometriosis, we performed a literature search into the possibility of NK cell therapy. Available treatment options include the inhibition of receptor–ligand interaction for KIR2DL1, NKG2A, LILRB1/2, and PD-1/PD-L1; inhibition of TGF-β; stimulation of NK cells with IL-2; and mycobacterial treatment with BCG. In preclinical work, these therapies show promising results but unfortunately have side effects, which have not specifically been studied in endometriosis patients. Before NK cell treatment can be used in the clinic, more research is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Romy Paap
- Center of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center, 3553 Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - Annemiek Nap
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radboudumc, 6524 Nijmegen, The Netherlands;
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Shi JL, Zheng ZM, Chen M, Shen HH, Li MQ, Shao J. IL-17: an important pathogenic factor in endometriosis. Int J Med Sci 2022; 19:769-778. [PMID: 35582411 PMCID: PMC9108413 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.71972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is known as a Th17-cell-derived proinflammatory cytokine, which plays a pivotal role in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. Emerging evidence has shown that IL-17 is linked to endometriosis, although the etiology of endometriosis is still unknown. The IL-17 expression is up-regulated in serum, peritoneal fluid (PF) and endometriotic lesions from patients with endometriosis but the related regulation mechanisms are complex and obscure. Meanwhile, the specific roles of IL-17 in endometriosis are also worthy of further exploration. Through the integration and summary of literature, we conclude that the secretion of IL-17 increases under the regulation of ectopic microenvironment and other factors, and then IL-17 is deeply involved in endometriosis in the regulation of immune microenvironment, the invasion and growth of ectopic lesions, and so on, which implies its therapeutic value in this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Lu Shi
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, People's Republic of China
| | - Zi-Meng Zheng
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, People's Republic of China
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies), Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Chen
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui-Hui Shen
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming-Qing Li
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, People's Republic of China
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies), Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Shao
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, People's Republic of China
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