Open Access

Gut and reproductive tract microbiota: Insights into the pathogenesis of endometriosis (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Hiroshi Kobayashi
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  • Published online on: May 29, 2023     https://doi.org/10.3892/br.2023.1626
  • Article Number: 43
  • Copyright: © Kobayashi . This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of endometrial‑like tissue outside the uterus and is associated with an inflammatory immune response. The gut and reproductive tract microbiota constitute a protective barrier against infection by pathogens and regulate inflammatory and immune functions. This review summarizes microbiota imbalance (i.e., dysbiosis) in endometriosis and discusses how dysbiosis influences disease development. The literature was searched for studies published from inception to March 2022 in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases using a combination of specific terms. An altered gut and reproductive tract microbiome has been reported in numerous conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease, allergies, autoimmunity, cancer and reproductive disorders (e.g., endometriosis). Furthermore, microbial dysbiosis is a hallmark of endometriosis and is characterized by a decrease in beneficial probiotics and an increase in pathogenic microbes, which leads to a series of estrobolomic and metabolomic changes. Gut or reproductive tract microbiome dysbiosis was reported in mice, nonhuman primates, and females with endometriosis. Animal models of endometriosis demonstrated the effects of the gut microbiome on lesion growth and vice versa. The immune system mediated by the microbiota‑gut‑reproductive tract axis triggers an inflammatory response that damages reproductive tract tissue, which possibly leads to endometriosis. However, whether the alteration of eubiosis (a balanced microbiota) to dysbiosis is a cause or a result of endometriosis is unclear. In conclusion, this review provides an overview of the relationship between the gut and reproductive tract microbiome and endometriosis, focusing on the mechanisms by which dysbiosis may increase the risk of disease.
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July-2023
Volume 19 Issue 1

Print ISSN: 2049-9434
Online ISSN:2049-9442

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Spandidos Publications style
Kobayashi H: Gut and reproductive tract microbiota: Insights into the pathogenesis of endometriosis (Review). Biomed Rep 19: 43, 2023
APA
Kobayashi, H. (2023). Gut and reproductive tract microbiota: Insights into the pathogenesis of endometriosis (Review). Biomedical Reports, 19, 43. https://doi.org/10.3892/br.2023.1626
MLA
Kobayashi, H."Gut and reproductive tract microbiota: Insights into the pathogenesis of endometriosis (Review)". Biomedical Reports 19.1 (2023): 43.
Chicago
Kobayashi, H."Gut and reproductive tract microbiota: Insights into the pathogenesis of endometriosis (Review)". Biomedical Reports 19, no. 1 (2023): 43. https://doi.org/10.3892/br.2023.1626