Dioxin and endometriosis: a new possible relation based on epigenetic theory

Abstract

Endometriosis is a chronic disease characterized by the growth of endometrial-like glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity. Nowadays, the exact etiology of endometriosis is unclear and the interaction between a variety of environmental physical and chemical compounds may potentially promote the disease in women with an individual susceptibility. The first demonstration of a relation between an environmental factor and endometriosis was obtained with the chronic dietary exposure of a primate colony to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Besides the well-known dioxin’s pathway of action, several papers are focusing on the role of epigenetic mechanisms, a way through which the genome responds to the environment and can lead to permanent changes in gene expression until affecting the phenotypes or cause disease. In this review, we focus on the possible role of dioxin epigenetics modification in endometriosis.

摘要

子宫内膜异位症是一种以子宫内膜样腺体和基质在宫腔外生长为特征的慢性疾病。目前, 子宫内膜异位症的确切病因尚不清楚, 环境中各种物理和化合物之间的相互作用可能有潜在的促进个体易感性的女性发病。首次证明环境因素与子宫内膜异位症之间的关系是通过灵长类动物饮食长期暴露于2, 3, 7, 8-四氯二苯吡-p-二恶英中获得的。除了众所周知的二恶英作用途径外, 一些研究还着重于表观遗传机制的作用, 即基因组对环境反应做出的改变并导致基因表达的永久性变化, 直至影响个体表型或导致疾病的发生。本文就二恶英的表观遗传学修饰在子宫内膜异位症中的作用进行综述。

The Chinese abstracts are translated by Prof. Dr. Xiangyan Ruan and her team: Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China.

Keywords:

• Endometriosis
• dioxin
• epigenetics
• environment
• adipose tissue

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.