Emerging Drug Targets for Endometriosis.
Marie-Madeleine DolmansJacques DonnezPublished in: Biomolecules (2022)
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease causing distressing symptoms and requiring a life-long management strategy. The objective of this review is to evaluate endometriosis-related pathways and identify novel therapies to treat it. We focused on the crucial role of inflammation and inflammatory molecules in order to define new perspectives for non-hormonal treatment of the disease by targeting inflammation, nuclear factor kappa B and cytokines, or reactive oxygen species, apoptotic and autophagic pathways, regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and angiogenesis and neuroangiogenesis. Novel non-steroidal therapies targeting these pathways for endometriosis were explored, but multiple challenges remain. While numerous agents have been investigated in preclinical trials, few have reached the clinical testing stage because of use of inappropriate animal models, with no proper study design or reporting of preclinical strategies. Targeting estrogens is still the best way to control endometriosis progression and inflammation.
Keyphrases
- nuclear factor
- oxidative stress
- epithelial mesenchymal transition
- toll like receptor
- cell death
- reactive oxygen species
- cell therapy
- cancer therapy
- emergency department
- type diabetes
- endothelial cells
- adverse drug
- mass spectrometry
- transcription factor
- signaling pathway
- depressive symptoms
- drug delivery
- physical activity
- polycystic ovary syndrome
- high resolution
- replacement therapy