ijms-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Molecular Studies of Endometriosis and Associated Diseases

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 January 2025 | Viewed by 780

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Julia Argyrou Endometriosis Centre, Epworth HealthCare, Richmond, VIC 3121, Australia
2. Gynaecology Research Centre, Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health, University of Melbourne and The Royal Women’s Hospital, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
Interests: adenomyosis; autoimmune diseases; cardiometabolic conditions; endometriosis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Endometriosis is a common condition, impacting approximately 190 million women, girls and those presumed female at birth. While classically considered a gynecological condition, endometriosis is a chronic, inflammatory and systemic disease that demonstrates short- and long-term detrimental consequences on the whole body. Endometriosis symptomology may include pelvic pain that is cyclical or non-cyclical in nature, heavy menstrual bleeding, infertility, gastrointestinal disturbance, nausea, migraine and or fatigue. It has massive socioeconomical costs for individuals, including financial pressures, absenteeism and reduced quality of life.

Endometriosis is a complex disease, meaning that both environmental and genetic factors play a role in its etiology. Other complexities add weight to the burden of the condition: the exact cause of endometriosis remains to be determined, with several plausible theories existing; both symptom presentation and responsiveness to treatments are extremely heterogenous; there is no definitive cure; non-invasive diagnostic tests are lacking; and people with endometriosis frequently present with other comorbid diseases or are at risk of developing other diseases.

Previous research has shown that individuals with endometriosis will often have several comorbid conditions, which may be directly or indirectly related to endometriosis, including (but not limited to) adenomyosis, pelvic floor muscle dysfunction and mood disorders. The co-existence of multiple conditions can lead to the misdiagnosis or diagnostic delay of endometriosis. It is also recognized that a diagnosis of endometriosis may increase a person’s risk of developing other chronic or life-threatening conditions, including autoimmune diseases, ovarian cancer and cardiometabolic diseases (like cardiovascular disease or stroke). This Special Issue aims to explore the latest studies that improve our understanding of the molecular pathways involved in endometriosis and its associated diseases.

We are encouraging the submission of original research papers and review papers that describe “Molecular Studies of Endometriosis and Associated Diseases”.

Papers that highlight the translational potential of molecular research to clinical applications (including novel technologies that identify new disease biomarkers and diagnostics) are also welcome.

Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • New insights into the molecular and genomic mechanisms of endometriosis and its associated diseases demonstrating causal relationships, similarities and associations.
  • Research studies applying cutting-edge emerging technologies (for example, ‘omics and multi-omics platforms) or the repurposing of existing technologies and methodologies, not previously employed in the setting of endometriosis.
  • New discovery research studying the molecular biomarkers and profiling of endometriosis and associated diseases, including the exploration and comparisons of different phenotypes of disease.
  • Pre-clinical research, including in vitro and animal models, that tests new potential therapies or diagnostics for endometriosis and its associated diseases.

Dr. Sarah J Holdsworth-Carson
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • adenomyosis
  • autoimmune diseases
  • cardiometabolic conditions
  • endometriosis
  • fatigue
  • heavy menstrual bleeding
  • irritable bowel syndrome
  • migraine
  • painful bladder syndrome
  • pelvic floor muscle dysfunction
  • pelvic inflammatory disease
  • pelvic pain
  • peritoneal adhesions
  • polycystic ovarian syndrome
  • pregnancy complications
  • ovarian cancer
  • uterine fibroids

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

24 pages, 3076 KiB  
Article
The Role of NK and T Cells in Endometriosis
by José Lourenço Reis, Natacha Nurdine Rosa, Catarina Martins, Miguel Ângelo-Dias, Luís Miguel Borrego and Jorge Lima
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(18), 10141; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251810141 - 21 Sep 2024
Viewed by 500
Abstract
Endometriosis, a debilitating condition, affects one in ten women of reproductive age. Its pathophysiology remains unclear, though deficiencies in immune surveillance are thought to create an environment conducive to the evasion of ectopic endometrial cells from the immune system. Our research explores the [...] Read more.
Endometriosis, a debilitating condition, affects one in ten women of reproductive age. Its pathophysiology remains unclear, though deficiencies in immune surveillance are thought to create an environment conducive to the evasion of ectopic endometrial cells from the immune system. Our research explores the immunological impact of endometriosis both locally and systemically, emphasizing natural killer (NK) and T cell subpopulations. We incorporated 62 female patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery; of those, 47 had endometriosis, and 15 were controls. We collected peritoneal fluid (PF) and peripheral blood (PB) samples which were tagged with monoclonal antibodies and subsequently scrutinized using flow cytometry. Our findings revealed significant differences in immunological profiles based on demographic factors and symptomatology. In the endometriosis cohort, there was an increase in PB CD56HiCD16dim and PF CD8+ CD56dimCD16Hi NK cells. CD16+ CD4 T cell levels were significantly lower in the PB of endometriosis patients who smoke. Individuals with more severe disease displayed significantly higher levels of PB CD16+ CD8 T cells, which also increased in those with non-menstrual pelvic pain. Dysmenorrhea severity correlated with a progressive increase in PF CD8+ CD56dimCD16Hi NK cells. These variations in specific lymphocyte subsets, namely, within NK and T cells, suggest potential immunological mechanisms in the evolution and clinical presentation of endometriosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Studies of Endometriosis and Associated Diseases)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop