Hudson Institute researchers Professor Caroline Gargett, Dr Caitlin Filby and Dr Fiona Cousins are investigating the potential causes of endometriosis. If we can understand more about how endometriosis emerges and develops, this could lead to the development of less invasive diagnostic tests and more effective treatments.
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis or ‘endo’ is a debilitating, chronic inflammatory condition where tissue fragments with similar properties to the womb lining attach to other organs and grow into lesions outside the uterus. Initially, these lesions are still responsive to female reproductive hormones that trigger menstruation and may bleed during a woman’s period, causing inflammation. The conditions can cause chronic pelvic pain, bowel and bladder dysfunction, back pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, nausea, pain during sex, and infertility. There is no cure. Treatments include hormonal based therapies and surgery to remove lesions to reduce pain and improve fertility. But much better treatments are needed.
What causes endometriosis?
This is the key question facing endometriosis researchers today. We are working on the hypothesis that endometriosis is caused by retrograde menstruation – where menstrual fluid containing cells that initiate endometriosis flows backward through the uterus, out of the fallopian tubes and into the pelvic cavity. These cells somehow evade the immune system, attach to organs, and form lesions.
What does your research involve?
We believe there are two types of endometrial stem cells shed during menstruation that could be forming lesions following retrograde menstruation into the pelvic cavity. The ability for stem cells to grow and proliferate are qualities that enable the endometrium – the lining of the uterus – to renew each month after shedding during the menstrual cycle.
This is a disease affecting young women in the prime of their lives. It prevents them from reaching their full potential – personally, professionally, financially. We desperately need new ways to diagnose and treat endo. We want to give the millions of women with endometriosis their quality of life back.” Prof Caroline Gargett
You may wonder then why all women don’t have endometriosis? We believe the answers might be in the DNA of women’s endometrial cells. We are working in collaboration with Professor Grant Montgomery from the University of Queensland to investigate how variations in the DNA sequence (genomics) that give rise to endometriosis risk genes could be giving these stem cells an advantage to grow into lesions. The role of inflammation and the immune system is also important in allowing lesions to survive.
There is an urgent need to improve the lives of women with endometriosis. To achieve this, we need to understand which cells form the lesions, how they spread to other organs, and what factors govern their ability to survive and invade other tissues. This will enable us to develop new therapies that will hopefully prevent endometriosis, saving women from the debilitating pain and discomfort caused by this condition.
- Affects 1 in 9 women – 176 million women worldwide
- Up to 10 years’ wait for diagnosis
- Annual costs: Australia $9.7 billion | UK GBP 8.5 billion | US $53.8 billion
Collaborators | Professor Grant Montgomery, University of Queensland; Professor Luk Rombauts, Monash IVF
Funders | US Department of Defense, NHMRC
Watafiti wa Taasisi ya Hudson Profesa Caroline Gargett, Daktari Caitlin Filby na Daktari Fiona Cousins wanachunguza sababu zinazoweza kusababisha endometriosis. "Ikiwa tunaweza kuelewa zaidi juu ya jinsi endometriosis inavyotokea na kuendeleza, hii inaweza kusababisha maendeleo ya vipimo vya utambuzi vya chini vya uvamizi na matibabu yenye ufanisi zaidi. """ Endometriosis ni nini? Endometriosis ni hali ya uvimbe wa muda mrefu ambapo vipande vya tishu vinavyofanana na uterasi huunganishwa na viungo vingine na kukua kuwa vidonda nje ya tumbo la uzazi. Mwanzoni, vidonda hivi bado vinaitikia homoni za uzazi wa kike ambazo huchochea hedhi na vinaweza kutokwa na damu wakati wa kipindi cha mwanamke, na kusababisha uvimbe. Hali hizo zinaweza kusababisha maumivu ya kifafa ya muda mrefu, matatizo ya utumbo na kibofu cha mkojo, maumivu ya mgongo, kutokwa na damu nyingi wakati wa hedhi, kichefuchefu, maumivu wakati wa ngono, na utasa. Hakuna tiba ya ugonjwa huo. Matibabu yanatia ndani matibabu ya homoni na upasuaji wa kuondoa vidonda ili kupunguza maumivu na kuboresha uzazi. Lakini matibabu bora zaidi yanahitajika. Ni nini husababisha endometriosis? Hilo ndilo swali kuu linalokabiliwa na watafiti wa endometriosis leo. Endometriosis ni ugonjwa wa kawaida unaosababishwa na msimu wa hedhi wa nyuma, ambapo maji ya hedhi yanachukua chembe zinazosababisha endometriosis na kutiririka nyuma kupitia tumbo la uzazi, kutoka kwenye mirija ya uterasi na kuingia kwenye shimo la pelvic. Kwa njia fulani chembe hizo huponyoka mfumo wa kinga, huambatana na viungo, na kufanyiza vidonda. Utafiti wako unahusisha nini? Kuna aina mbili za seli za msingi za endometrial zinazotolewa wakati wa hedhi ambazo zinaweza kuunda majeraha baada ya hedhi ya nyuma katika shimo la pelvic. Uwezo wa chembe za msingi kukua na kuongezeka ni sifa ambazo huwezesha endometrium - utando wa tumbo la uzazi - kujirekebisha kila mwezi baada ya kuangamizwa wakati wa mzunguko wa hedhi. Hii ni ugonjwa unaowasumbua wanawake wachanga katika kipindi kizuri cha maisha yao. Inawazuia wasifikie uwezo wao kamili - kibinafsi, kitaaluma, kifedha. Tunahitaji sana njia mpya za kugundua na kutibu ugonjwa wa endo. "Kama vile ilivyo kwa wanawake wengi wenye endometriosis, ""Mwanamke anaweza kuua kwa sababu ya endometriosis.""" "Tunaamini majibu ya maswali hayo yanaweza kuwa katika DNA ya chembe za endometrial za wanawake.""" "Mwanamke huyo, Grant Montgomery, profesa wa utafiti wa DNA katika Chuo Kikuu cha Queensland, alisema: ""Kuna uwezekano mkubwa kwamba chembe za msingi za utoaji mimba zinaweza kuwa na hatari ya kuambukizwa endometriosis." Sehemu ya uvimbe na mfumo wa kinga pia ni muhimu katika kuruhusu majeraha kuishi. Kuna uhitaji wa haraka wa kuboresha maisha ya wanawake wenye endometriosis. Ili kufikia lengo hili, tunahitaji kuelewa ni chembe zipi zinazofanyiza vidonda, jinsi vinavyoenea kwenye viungo vingine, na ni mambo gani yanayoongoza uwezo wao wa kuishi na kuvamia tishu nyingine. "Hii itatuwezesha kuendeleza matibabu mapya ambayo kwa matumaini yatazuia endometriosis, kuokoa wanawake kutoka kwa maumivu ya kuharibu na usumbufu unaosababishwa na hali hii. """ Miongoni mwao ni: Mmoja kati ya wanawake 9 milioni 176 duniani kote, na miaka 10 ya kusubiri kwa utambuzi, gharama ya kila mwaka ni $ 9.7 bilioni, na Msaada wa dola bilioni 53.8 ni Profesa Grant Montgomery, Chuo Kikuu cha Queensland, na Profesa Luk Rombouts, Mfadhili wa Monash IVF.