Unsuccessful induction of endometriosis in female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to induce endometriosis in female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) for research purposes.


METHODS
Three female monkeys from 4 to 4.5 years of age underwent three consecutive attempts at endometriosis induction over an 8-month period: (i) the first attempt involved intravaginal sampling of endometrial tissue and transplantation into the intrapelvic cavity; (ii) the second entailed surgical removal of endometrium after hysterotomy and intra-abdominal placement, and (iii) the third used endometrial mucosa obtained by scraping the uterus after hysterectomy, placed in a surgical pouch created in the retrovesical space (Retzius). In each case, the pelvic cavity was closely inspected after 7, 9, and 6 weeks respectively for the presence of endometriotic lesions, and peritoneal biopsies were performed.


RESULTS
Neither macroscopic observation nor histological analysis revealed any endometriotic lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
This failure to induce endometriosis in female rhesus macaques suggests that this species is not the most efficient experimental model among primates to investigate endometriosis development or treatment.
Defrère
Sylvie
S
Department of Gynecology, Medical School, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
Squifflet
Jean
J
Lousse
Jean-Christophe
JC
Van Langendonckt
Anne
A
González-Ramos
Reinaldo
R
Foidart
Jean-Michel
JM
Jérome
Christine
C
Delattre
Luc
L
Donnez
Jacques
J
Dehoux
Jean-Paul
JP
D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy / Q000662:veterinary; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery