Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells reduce endometriosis cellular proliferation through their anti-inflammatory effects.

OBJECTIVE: Endometriosis is a chronic debilitating inflammatory condition characterized by the presence of endometrial tissues outside the uterine cavity. Pelvic soreness and infertility are the usual association. Due to the poor effectiveness of the hormone therapy and the high incidence of recurrence following surgical excision, there is no single effective option for management of endometriosis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stromal cells studied for their broad immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory properties; however, their efficiency in endometriosis cases is still a controversial issue. Our study aim was to evaluate whether adipose tissue-derived MSCs (AD-MSCs) could help with endometriosis through their studied anti-inflammatory role. METHODS: Female Wistar rats weighting 180 to 250 g were randomly divided into two groups: group 1, endometriosis group; established by transplanting autologous uterine tissue into rats' peritoneal cavities and group 2, stem cell treated group; treated with AD-MSCs on the 5th day after induction of endometriosis. The proliferative activity of the endometriosis lesions was evaluated through Ki67 staining. Quantitative estimation of interferon γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1ß, IL-10, and transforming growth factor ß expression, as well as immunohistochemical detection of CD68 positive macrophages, were used to assess the inflammatory status. RESULTS: The size and proliferative activity of endometriosis lesions were significantly reduced in the stem cell treated group. Stem cells efficiently mitigated endometriosis associated chronic inflammatory reactions estimated through reduction of CD68 positive macrophages and the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines. CONCLUSION: Stem cell therapy can be considered a novel remedy in endometriosis possibly through its anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties.

Identification and potential role of telocytes in human uterine leiomyoma.

BACKGROUND: Telocytes are specialized interstitial tissue cell type. Our aim is to characterize telocytes in human uterine leiomyoma (ULM) and its adjacent myometrium (Myo-F) as well as normal myometrium (Myo-N). METHODS: ULMs and Myo-F tissues were taken from hysterectomy specimens done to treat symptomatic uterine fibroids (N = 20). Myo-N is isolated from hysterectomies done on ULM- free uteri for other benign indications (N = 15).Telocytes were detected using immunohistochemistry to detect c-Kit (CD-117), as a surface marker expressed on telocytes, and electron microscopic examination to identify telocytes characteristic ultrastructure. Cellular count and electron microscopic features of telocytes in each of the studied tissues were compared. RESULTS: Telocytes could be detected in ULMs, Myo-F and Myo-N using c-KIT immunostaining. Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of telocytes in the three types of tissues identifying their characteristic features including small triangular or fusiform cell bodies with extensive cellular prolongations. ULM telocytes showed ultrastructural features suggestive of high cellular activities. Cell counts of ULM telocytes (3.35 ± 0.39) were significantly higher (P value = 0.00039) than that of Myo-F (1.39 ± 0.13). Myo-N (2.6 ± 0.36) contained higher telocyte numbers than Myo-F (1.39 ± 0.13), but the difference did not reach statistical significance (P value = 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: Telocytes are detected in higher numbers and activity in ULMs than Myo-F or Myo-N. In ULMs, telocytes can work as a hormonal sensors for stem cells, provide scaffold for newly formed myocytes, or control important downstream signaling pathways.

Diagnostic utility of deamidated gliadin peptide antibody in celiac disease compared to anti-tissue transglutaminase and IgA- endomysium antibodies.

Deamidated gliadin peptide antibodies have recently been suggested as reliable tools for celiac disease (CD) diagnosis. We compared their utility for diagnosis CD in comparison to the routinely used anti-endomysial, and anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies. We studied 65 patients (17 men, 48 women; age range, 17- 63 years) who underwent intestinal biopsy because of clinical suspicion of small-bowel disorders. Serum samples were obtained at the time of biopsy for measuring IgA and IgG anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG), IgA and IgG anti-deamidated gliadin peptide (DOP) by ELISA and IgA anti-endomesial antibody (EmA) by indirect immunoflouresce. Characterization of patients was based on histological criteria (Marsh type II lesion or greater). Biopsy revealed that 14 patients had positive criteria for CD. The remaining 51 negative patients were used as controls. Assay sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing celiac disease were 85.7% and 92.2% for IgA and 92.9 and 100% for IgG antibodies to DGP respectively. Serum IgA and IgG DGP, IgA and IgG -tTG and IgA EmA were significantly higher in CD patients than in control group (P = 0.000). None of the controls was positive for IgG DGP or IgA -EmA, but 4 of 51 (7.8 %) were positive for IgA- DGP, 6 of 51 (11.8 %) were positive for IgA anti-tTG, and 2 of 51 (3.9%) were positive for IgG anti-tTG. IgG-DGP has the best sensitivity (92.9%), specificity (100%), positive predictive value (100%), and negative predictive value (96.2%). In conclusion, the DGP antibodies tests, alone or in combination with the tTG antibodies, are useful tools for screening purposes and with better patient acceptance than intestinal biopsy.