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This study, published in the journal "Stem Cells Report", is the first to announce that defective endometrial cells can be reprogrammed to become healthy cells, thus treating endometriosis.
According to research, defective cells of the uterus can be replaced by healthy cells called induced pluripotent cells. The latter, which earned Shinya Yamanaka the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2012, are stem cells obtained from specialized adult cells that are reprogrammed genetically.
Roughly, they are cells taken from the body of an adult, then reprogrammed to become immature cells, which can be recreated in any cell of the body.
In this study, healthy cells are removed from the blood or skin of women with endometriosis. Tests have shown that the immune system of women on whom self-transplantation was performed did not reject these healthy cells.
Endometriosis occurs when the cells of the endometrium – the lining of the uterus – are defective and do not respond well to the spread of progesterone, which is an implantation hormone. These defective cells are then released to the fallopian tubes, then to the abdominal tissues, resulting in severe pelvic pain.
The study showed that healthy cells can multiply, and respond positively to progesterone. They are thus fixed on the endometrial tissue and are no longer released towards the abdominal wall.
For now, the study simply shows that healthy cells react positively in the bodies of the women tested. The next step is to replace the defective cells with these healthy cells.
Towards long-term treatment
It is estimated that 10% of women of childbearing age (about 200 million) are affected by endometriosis worldwide. There is currently no effective long-term treatment. The women concerned are obliged to follow a hormonal treatment until their menopause. It is also possible to go through surgical procedures to stem the course of the disease over several months, but it never disappears completely.
Endometriosis causes a lot of pain: in addition to acute pain during menstruation, affected women can become infertile and have a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer.
According to Professor Bulun, researcher for the study, the consequences of the disease can be devastating for some, "these women with endometriosis begin to suffer from the disease when they are very young.They end up being dependent opioids to calm the pain.This addiction destroys their social life and their academic potential ".
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