Stem Cells International (Jan 2018)

Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Support Endometriotic Stromal Cells In Vitro

  • Fawaz Abomaray,
  • Sebastian Gidlöf,
  • Bartosz Bezubik,
  • Mikael Engman,
  • Cecilia Götherström

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/7318513
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2018

Abstract

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Endometriosis is an inflammatory disease marked by ectopic growth of endometrial cells. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have immunosuppressive properties that have been suggested as a treatment for inflammatory diseases. Therefore, the aim herein was to examine effects of allogeneic MSC on endometriosis-derived cells in vitro as a potential therapy for endometriosis. MSC from allogeneic adipose tissue (Ad-MSC) and stromal cells from endometrium (ESCendo) and endometriotic ovarian cysts (ESCcyst) from women with endometriosis were isolated. The effects of Ad-MSC on ESCendo and ESCcyst were investigated using in vitro proliferation, apoptosis, adhesion, tube formation, migration, and invasion assays. Ad-MSC significantly increased proliferation of ESC compared to untreated controls. Moreover, Ad-MSC significantly decreased apoptosis and increased survival of ESC. Ad-MSC significantly increased adhesion of ESCendo and not ESCcyst on fibronectin. Conditioned medium from cocultures of Ad-MSC and ESC significantly increased tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells on matrigel. Ad-MSC may significantly increase migration of ESCcyst and did not increase invasion of both cell types. The data suggest that allogeneic Ad-MSC should not be considered as a potential therapy for endometriosis, because they may support the pathology by maintaining and increasing growth of ectopic endometrial tissue.