2024-10-11 14:53:00
The researchers of Baylor College of Medicine (USA) have made significant progress in understanding and treating endometriosisa painful disease that affects nearly 200 million women worldwide. The results, published in the journal ‘With‘, could lead to the development of a non-invasive stool-based test and a new therapy for the disease.
Endometriosis occurs when the lining of the uterus grows outside of its usual place, such as attaching to the intestine or abdominal cavity, causing bleeding, pain, inflammation and infertility. Its diagnosis usually takes around seven years and, in many cases, is confused with intestinal disorders, underscoring the need for more effective diagnoses and less invasive treatments.
The study focused on the role of microbiome —communities of bacteria in the body— and their metabolites in the development of endometriosis. Researchers compared the bacteria and metabolites present in the feces of women with endometriosis with those of healthy women and found significant differences.
One of the most important discoveries was the identification of a metabolite called 4-hydroxyindole, produced by beneficial bacteria. However, In women with endometriosis, levels of this compound were lower. This combination of unique bacterial metabolites could serve as the basis for a non-invasive diagnostic test and help reduce disease progression.
“This discovery is exciting because it is the first specific metabolite profile related to human endometriosis,” he says. Rama Kommaganisenior author of the study and associate professor in the Department of Pathology and Immunology at Baylor. “It brings us closer to a better understanding of the disease and the possibility of improving its control.”
Studies in animal models have also shown that the administration of 4-hydroxyindole prevents inflammation and pain related to endometriosis. Furthermore, the metabolite profile of endometriosis was found to be similar to that of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), suggesting possible connections between both diseases.
The researchers are now working on developing the non-invasive test and are evaluating the safety and effectiveness of 4-hydroxyindole as a potential treatment for endometriosis.
This progress offers hope for earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments for a disease that affects millions of women around the world.
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