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Review
. 2022 Jun 25;11(13):2028.
doi: 10.3390/cells11132028.

The Role of the Immune System in the Development of Endometriosis

Monika Abramiuk  1 , Ewelina Grywalska  2 , Paulina Małkowska  3   4 , Olga Sierawska  3   4 , Rafał Hrynkiewicz  3 , Paulina Niedźwiedzka-Rystwej  3
Affiliations
Review

The Role of the Immune System in the Development of Endometriosis

Monika Abramiuk et al. Cells. .

Abstract

Endometriosis is a chronic disease that affects about 10% of women of reproductive age. It can contribute to pelvic pain, infertility or other conditions such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, breast or ovarian cancer. Research has shown that one of the conditions for the development of endometrial lesions is the dysfunction of the immune system. It appears that immune cells, such as neutrophils, macrophages, NK cells and dendritic cells, may play a specific role in the angiogenesis, growth and invasion of endometriosis cells. Immune cells secrete cytokines and defensins that also affect the endometriosis environment. This review discusses the various components of the immune system that are involved in the formation of endometrial lesions in women.

Keywords: cytokine; defensins; endometriosis; immune system.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The role of immunocompetent cells in endometriosis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Participation of T cell subpopulation in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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