Accelerated lesion growth and key gut bacteria loss link the Western diet to heightened endometriosis risk, opening new discussions on diet as a potential intervention. Study: Western diet promotes endometriotic lesion growth in mice and induces depletion of Akkermansia muciniphila in intestinal microbiota. Image Credit: Ground Picture / Shutterstock.
com A recent study in the journal BMC Medicine examines the effects of a Western diet on the development of endometriotic lesions in mice. Endometriosis and the gut microbiome The Western diet (WD) not only promotes lesion growth but also activates specific macrophage markers (CD80 and CD206), enhancing inflammation and potentially accelerating endometriotic lesion progression. Despite being a benign condition, endometriosis causes significant morbidity in affected women, 10% of whom are of reproductive age.
Endometriosis is characterized by the abnormal growth of tissues resembling that of the uterine lining or endometrium outside of the uterine cavity. Women with advanced endometriosis exhibit gut microbial changes. Previous studies have reported that anti-inflammatory diets may relieve endometriosis-associated pain, which may be achieved by altering bacterial and gut metabolism.
The gut microbiome can influence the development of innate immunity and inflammation. In particular, bacterial components or byproducts may inhibit or activate macrophage memory responses. This phenomenon, termed trained immunity, helps these cells res.