RUDN University Doctors Suggest Using Antitumor Therapy for Endometriosis Treatment
RUDN University doctors analyzed data from various studies devoted to the role of macrophages in the development of tumors and endometriosis. The presence of numerous characteristics that combine these two pathologies prompted scientists to the idea of applying existing methods of antitumor therapy using macrophages in the treatment of endometriosis. A review of the literature on this issue is published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
Endometriosis is a widespread gynecological disease associated with the overgrowth of tissue similar to the endometrium (the innermost lining layer of the uterus). Endometriosis causes severe pain in the pelvic region and is also the cause of infertility in the future. Endometriosis is a benign disease, although characteristics are similar for endometriosis foci and tumor formations. Namely, they are characterized by uncontrolled growth, metastatic spread, and mutations detected in the cell genome. It has been shown that in the development of endometriosis foci and in tumor growth, the key role is played by cells of the immune system—macrophages. They exhibit both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory properties, they also can switch from pro-inflammatory properties to anti-inflammatory and vice versa. The doctors of the RUDN University analyzed the studies of the role of macrophages in endometriosis and tumor growth, and suggested that a possible direction in the treatment of endometriosis may be the injection of macrophages with pro-inflammatory properties.
"Endometriosis is benign but resembles cancer in certain aspects of its onset, progression, and impact on cellular neighborhoods. In both endometriosis and cancer, macrophages guard the lesions from immune surveillance while promoting pathological cell growth, invasion, and metastasis. Remarkable phenotypical plasticity of macrophages makes them a promising therapeutic target. Some key issues are the range of macrophage phenotypes characteristic of a particular pathology and the possible manners of its modulation", said Polina Vishnyakova, Ph.D., researcher at Medical Biotechnology Laboratory at RUDN University.
RUDN University doctors have collected data from about 100 studies devoted to the role of macrophages in the development of oncological diseases. Macrophages can phagocyte bacteria, viruses, foreign particles, and cells—that is a pro-inflammatory property. But in oncological diseases, macrophages are characterized by a switch from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory—not only they do not destroy the transformed cells, but also stimulate the germination of blood vessels into the tumor, which contributes to the growth and development of lesions.
Considering the role of macrophages in the development of tumors, scientists are developing new methods of cancer therapy, the key link of which are macrophages. The most common method, according to RUDN University doctors, is the use of cytokines. These are the signaling molecules that attract pro-inflammatory macrophages to the tumor growth site neutralizing tumor cells. To date, effective technologies for such therapy already exist, but the complexity of targeted delivery of cytokines to the tumor holds back its wide clinical use. The second method of therapy is reprogramming. It involves switching the properties of macrophages from anti-inflammatory to pro-inflammatory.
The RUDN University doctors suggested that the common characteristics of endometriosis and tumors allows the use of antitumor therapy methods with macrophages in the treatment of endometriosis, which is currently being treated only hormonally or surgically.
"Considering the described pathogenetic features of endometriosis development and progression, we believe that the most promising therapeutic strategy is the combined decrease in macrophages' anti-inflammatory activation. Cell therapy could be considered both in an independent form and as an addition to the hormone therapy already. Furthermore, immunocellular therapy would be of undoubted importance in increasing the effectiveness of surgical treatment with the possibility of targeted administration of directly polarized macrophages to the foci of endometriosis", said Polina Vishnyakova, Ph.D., researcher at Medical Biotechnology Laboratory at RUDN University.
More information:
Daria Artemova et al, Endometriosis and Cancer: Exploring the Role of Macrophages, International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2021). DOI: 10.3390/ijms22105196
Provided by RUDN University
