Human endometriosis is associated with plasma cells and overexpression of B lymphocyte stimulator.
Endometriosis affects 10-20% of women of reproductive age and is associated with pelvic pain and infertility, and its pathogenesis is not well understood. We used genomewide transcriptional profiling to characterize endometriosis and found that it exhibits a gene expression signature consistent with an underlying autoimmune mechanism. Endometriosis lesions are characterized by the presence of abundant plasma cells, many of which produce IgM, and macrophages that produce BLyS/BAFF/TNFSF13B, a member of the TNF superfamily implicated in other autoimmune diseases. B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) protein was found elevated in the serum of endometriosis patients. These observations suggest a model for the pathology of endometriosis where BLyS-responsive plasma cells interact with retrograde menstrual tissues to give rise to endometriosis lesions.
Hever
Aniko
A
Neurocrine Biosciences, Department of Discovery Biology, San Diego, CA 92130, USA.
Roth
Richard B
RB
Hevezi
Peter
P
Marin
Maria E
ME
Acosta
Jose A
JA
Acosta
Hector
H
Rojas
Jose
J
Herrera
Rosa
R
Grigoriadis
Dimitri
D
White
Evan
E
Conlon
Paul J
PJ
Maki
Richard A
RA
Zlotnik
Albert
A
D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D053301:B-Cell Maturation Antigen / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology
D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D053301:B-Cell Maturation Antigen; C505719:TNFSF13B protein, human