Ricerc@Sapienza

Endometriosis is a common and severe illness affecting women in their reproductive years. Despite the ongoing interest and intensive research of this disabling disease, its etiopathogenesis remains unknown, although the first description of endometriosis dates back 150 years ago. Endometriosis is generally considered a steroid-sensitive disease. Together with an aberrant steroidal response of endometriotic women, another possible cause of endometriosis has been identified in a defective cellular and molecular immune system response.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been described as a general class of chemicals that induce hormone dysregulation in humans or wildlife, exerting adverse effects on reproductive, developmental, cardiovascular, neurological, metabolic, and immune process. As a result, human exposure to EDCs has aroused a wide range of health concerns, including obesity, diabetes, cancer, and decreased fertility.
Considering the close connection between EDC and immune dysregulation within endometriotic patients has been investigated, but no clear and unique available evidence,in this study,we decided to investigate its possible association in patients affected by this pathology.Therefore we hypothesize that a definitive molecular and cellular signature could be determined by combining clinical, epidemiological,environmental and immunologic data, thus defining a detailed biologic profile that can predict the onset, treatment resistance, and progression of endometriosis.Consequently, we hypothesize that a definitive molecular and cellular signature could be identified with an enrollment of 200 consecutive patients affected by endometriosis, all referring to the endometriosis outpatient setting of our Gynecology Division(Sant Andrea University Hospital in Rome),in order to define a precise biologic profile able to provide an innovative clinical and epidemiological tool to prevent, monitor and treat the population of women affected by endometriosis.