Human Endometriotic Lesion-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles Impair Macrophage Function in the Peritoneal Microenvironment.

ABSTRACT: Endometriosis (EM) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects ∼10% of women during reproductive age. It is characterised by ectopic (ECT) growth of endometrial-like tissue mainly in the pelvic cavity. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) mediate cellular interactions, but their function remains poorly understood in the pathogenesis of EM. 3D endometrial epithelial organoids (EEOs) from ECT lesions and eutopic (EUT) endometrium from EM patients and controls were established to investigate sEVs. Multiplex bead-based flow cytometry revealed CD133/1 and EpCAM as dominant markers on EEO-sEVs, with ECT EEO-sEVs showing upregulation of CD44, CD29 and downregulation of EpCAM compared to EUT EEO-sEVs. Peritoneal fluid (PF)-sEVs displayed high and correlated CD133/1 and EpCAM expression, indicati

SUBMITTER: Wang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12919373 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature