Decoding serotonin in endometriosis: unveiling its role in disease pathogenesis via the gut-reproductive microbiota axis - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #endometriosis
- #serotonin
- #gut-reproductive axis
- Serotonin levels are elevated in endometriosis patients and promote disease progression by enhancing cell proliferation and inflammation.
- Akkermansia muciniphila, a bacterium shared between the gut and reproductive tract, is enriched in endometriosis patients and correlates with higher peritoneal serotonin levels.
- Mendelian randomization analysis links both elevated serotonin and Akkermansia muciniphila to an increased risk of endometriosis.
- In vitro studies show serotonin boosts endometriosis cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and inflammation, upregulating IL-17/NF-κB pathways.
- In mouse models, serotonin treatment increases lesion growth, cell proliferation, and inflammation.
- The study suggests the gut-reproductive microbiota axis may regulate serotonin levels, offering new insights into endometriosis pathogenesis and potential treatment targets.
- Limitations include a small sample size, lack of dietary data, and unproven direct causality between Akkermansia muciniphila and serotonin elevation.