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Review

Can Endometriosis-Related Oxidative Stress Pave the Way for New Treatment Targets?

by
Luciana Cacciottola
1,
Jacques Donnez
2,3 and
Marie-Madeleine Dolmans
1,4,*
1
Gynecology Research Unit, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
2
Society for Research into Infertility, 1150 Brussels, Belgium
3
Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
4
Department of Gynecology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(13), 7138; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22137138
Submission received: 1 June 2021 / Revised: 28 June 2021 / Accepted: 28 June 2021 / Published: 1 July 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Endometriosis: Biological Targets and New Therapeutical Approaches)

Abstract

Endometriosis is a disease of reproductive age characterized by chronic pelvic pain and infertility. Its pathogenesis is complex and still partially unexplained. However, there is increasing evidence of the role of chronic inflammation, immune system dysregulation, and oxidative stress in its development and progression. The latter appears to be involved in multiple aspects of the disease. Indeed, disease progression sustained by a hyperproliferative phenotype can be related to reactive oxygen species (ROS) imbalance, as numerous experiments using drugs to counteract hyperproliferation have shown in recent years. Chronic pelvic pain is also associated with cell function dysregulation favoring chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, specifically involving macrophages and mast cell activation. Moreover, there is increasing evidence of a role for ROS and impaired mitochondrial function not only as deleterious effectors of the ovarian reserve in patients with endometriomas but also in terms of oocyte quality and, hence, embryo development impairment. Targeting oxidative stress looks to be a promising strategy to both curb endometriotic lesion progression and alleviate endometriosis-associated symptoms of chronic pain and infertility. More investigations are nevertheless needed to develop effective therapeutic strategies for clinical application.
Keywords: endometriosis; oxidative stress; iron overload; antioxidants; macrophages; hyperalgesia; chronic pain; infertility endometriosis; oxidative stress; iron overload; antioxidants; macrophages; hyperalgesia; chronic pain; infertility

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Cacciottola, L.; Donnez, J.; Dolmans, M.-M. Can Endometriosis-Related Oxidative Stress Pave the Way for New Treatment Targets? Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22, 7138. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22137138

AMA Style

Cacciottola L, Donnez J, Dolmans M-M. Can Endometriosis-Related Oxidative Stress Pave the Way for New Treatment Targets? International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021; 22(13):7138. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22137138

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cacciottola, Luciana, Jacques Donnez, and Marie-Madeleine Dolmans. 2021. "Can Endometriosis-Related Oxidative Stress Pave the Way for New Treatment Targets?" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22, no. 13: 7138. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22137138

APA Style

Cacciottola, L., Donnez, J., & Dolmans, M.-M. (2021). Can Endometriosis-Related Oxidative Stress Pave the Way for New Treatment Targets? International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(13), 7138. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22137138

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