Statins
show promise for relief of endometriosis
Canadian study shows
that women suffering from endometriosis may benefit
from statin treatment due to its inhibitory effect on
angiogenesis.
Robert Casper and his team, from the
Toronto Centre for Advanced Reproductive Technology,
set out to investigate the inhibitory effect of a statin
on angiogenesis in a three-dimensional (3-D) culture
of human endometrial fragments in vitro as
an "endometriosis model".
Angiogenesis has been proposed as an
important mechanism in the pathogenesis of endometriosis,
and statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase
inhibitors) have been shown to have anti-inflammatory
and anti-angiogenic activity.
Endometrial samples were collected from 46 normally
ovulating women who were referred for infertility treatment.
Tissue cultures were divided into four groups according
to lovastatin concentrations in the culture media:
- 1 microM of lovastatin (n=10)
- 5 microM of lovastatin (n=21)
- 10 microM lovastatin (n=15)
- the control group (n=46)
The investigators observed significant
invasion of stromal cells into the fibrin matrix in
control cultures, with vessel formation by week 2. In
contrast, lovostatin at 5 microM and 10 microM abolished
angiogenesis and inhibited cell proliferation, whereas
1 microM of lovastatin only reduced angiogenesis.
Casper and colleagues conclude that "It is possible
that administration of a statin during, and for a few
days after, menses may prevent viable endometrial cells
in retrograde menstrual blood from implanting in the
peritoneal cavity by reducing proliferation and angiogenesis."
|
