Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Support Endometriotic Stromal CellsIn Vitro

Abstract

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 cellsin vitroas 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 ESCendoand ESCcystwere investigated usingin vitroproliferation, 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 ESCendoand not ESCcyston 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 ESCcystand 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.