Cette page a été traduite automatiquement et l'exactitude de la traduction n'est pas garantie. Veuillez vous référer au version anglaise pour un texte source.

MEN-ENDO: Menstrual Stem Cells in Endometriosis

5 mai 2026 mis à jour par: Francisco Algaba Chueca

Study of the Role of Menstrual Blood-derived Stem Cells and the Immune Environment in Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by the presence of endometrium-like tissue outside the uterine cavity. It is estimated to affect approximately 10% of women of reproductive age and it is associated with chronic pelvic pain and infertility, among other symptoms.

Endometriosis involves complex changes in the body's cells and immune response. For this reason, the goal of this observational study is to characterize the functional, molecular, and immunological alterations in menstrual blood-derived stem cells (MenSCs) and differentiated decidual stromal cells in women with endometriosis; to validate these findings in endometrial tissue and endometriomas; and to establish their correlation with clinical parameters, with the aim of identifying key pathogenic mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Are there functional and molecular changes in MenSCs from patients with endometriosis compared to healthy volunteers?
  • Are there any variations in the immune properties of MenSCs throughout the menstrual bleeding period in patients with endometriosis compared to healthy volunteers?
  • Are these changes also present in endometrial tissue and endometrioma samples?
  • Can these changes be correlated with clinical parameters in patients with endometriosis?
  • Can MenSCs serve as a potential therapeutic target for endometriosis?

Some participants will be asked to provide menstrual blood on a single day, while others will provide samples during the first five days of menstruation. Additionally, all participants will answer questionnaires about their diet, physical activity, stress, and pain levels. Therefore, the study does not involve the evaluation of a specific intervention on the participants.

The results will enable the identification of key altered mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets, thereby contributing to the development of more effective strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Aperçu de l'étude

Statut

Recrutement

Les conditions

Intervention / Traitement

Type d'étude

Observationnel

Inscription (Estimé)

40

Contacts et emplacements

Cette section fournit les coordonnées de ceux qui mènent l'étude et des informations sur le lieu où cette étude est menée.

Coordonnées de l'étude

Sauvegarde des contacts de l'étude

Lieux d'étude

  • Espagne
    • Tarragona
      • Reus, Tarragona, Espagne, 43201
        • Actif, ne recrute pas
        • Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut
      • Tarragona, Tarragona, Espagne, 43005

Critères de participation

Les chercheurs recherchent des personnes qui correspondent à une certaine description, appelée critères d'éligibilité. Certains exemples de ces critères sont l'état de santé général d'une personne ou des traitements antérieurs.

Critère d'éligibilité

Âges éligibles pour étudier

  • Adulte

Accepte les volontaires sains

Oui

Méthode d'échantillonnage

Échantillon non probabiliste

Population étudiée

Our study population consists of 40 women aged between 18 and 45, 20 of whom have been diagnosed with endometriosis and 20 of whom are healthy volunteers. Participants will be recruited from the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the Hospital Universitari Joan XXIII in Tarragona (Spain) during routine gynecological check-ups. Healthy volunteers will be selected through individual matching with participants in the study group, considering relevant demographic and clinical variables such as age and ethnic group.

In addition, a sub-cohort of 10 women (5 per study group) will be selected from the main cohort to study in greater detail the intra-menstrual variations in the immunomodulatory properties of MenSCs. This sub-cohort will include participants who agree to provide menstrual blood samples from days 1 to 5 (both inclusive) to analyze dynamic changes in the cells obtained, while maintaining the same general inclusion and exclusion criteria as in the main study.

La description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 18-45 years.
  • Endometriosis group: Women with clinical and/or ecographical diagnostic of endometriosis.
  • Control group: Women with the endometriosis diagnosis.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • <18 years or >45 years.
  • Pregnancy or lactation.
  • Diagnosis of prior chronic pelvic inflammatory or autoimmune disease.
  • History of active gynecological cancer.
  • Positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or human papillomavirus (HPV).
  • Hormonal therapy use in the previous 3 months.
  • Use of immunosuppressants or corticosteroids in the previous 3 months.
  • Systemic antibiotics use in the previous 3 months.
  • Insufficient menstrual flow to allow the MenSCs isolation.

Plan d'étude

Cette section fournit des détails sur le plan d'étude, y compris la façon dont l'étude est conçue et ce que l'étude mesure.

Comment l'étude est-elle conçue ?

Détails de conception

Cohortes et interventions

Groupe / Cohorte
Intervention / Traitement
Endometriosis
Autre: Menstrual blood-derived stem cells collection and in vitro characterization
Menstrual-blood derived stem cells will be isolated from the menstrual blood of patients with endometriosis and healthy volunteers to be characterized in vitro.

Que mesure l'étude ?

Principaux critères de jugement

Mesure des résultats
Description de la mesure
Délai
MenSCs proliferation rate
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Evaluation of the expansion capacity of MenSCs from endometriosis patients vs. healthy controls using the MTT assay.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Phenotypic characterization of MenSCs
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years).
Evaluation of surface marker expression using flow cytometry to determine the phenotype of MenSCs from endometriosis patients and healthy controls.
Through study completion (average of 3 years).
MenSC chemotaxis
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Assessment of the number of T-lymphocytes and monocytes capable of migrating through a transwell membrane under the stimuli of conditioned media from MenSCs obtained from endometriosis patients and healthy controls.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
MenSC invasion capacity
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Assessment of the number of MenSCs from endometriosis patients vs. healthy controls capable of degrading a Matrigel on a transwell membrane and migrating toward a chemoattractant.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Multilineage capacity of MenSCs
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
The differentiation potential of MenSCs from endometriosis patients vs. healthy controls towards osteocytes, chondrocytes and adipocytes will be assessed by using specific media.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Decidualitzation response to progesterone of the decidual cells differentiated from MenSCs from endometriosis patients and healthy volunteers
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years).
MenSCs will be cultured in presence of 8-Br-cAMP during 14 days, and the assessment of morphology and expression of decidual markers will be performed by RT-qPCR and ELISA assay.
Through study completion (average of 3 years).
Apoptosis resistance assessment of the decidual cells differentiated from MenSCs from endometriosis patients and healthy volunteers
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years).
Apoptosis resistance will be evaluated by Annexin V/PI flow cytometry following induction by TNFα. Additionally, the expression of key apoptotic mediators will be quantified using RT-qPCR and Western blot.
Through study completion (average of 3 years).
Cytokine profile of the secretome of MenSCs from endometriosis patients and healthy volunteers and their differentiated decidual cells.
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years).
The conditioned media will be assessed to determine the cytokines secreted using an ELISA assay.
Through study completion (average of 3 years).
Cytokine profile of the endometrial and endometrioma tissues
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years).
The levels of cytokines in the conditioned media from cultured explants will be assessed by ELISA assay.
Through study completion (average of 3 years).
Cytokine profile of the secretome of immune cells populations
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
The levels of cytokines in the conditioned media from lymphocytes and macrophages will be assessed by ELISA assay.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Cytokine profile of the peripheral blood plasma
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
The levels of cytokines in peripheral blood plasma from endometriosis patients and healthy volunteers will be determined by ELISA assay.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Gene expression profile of MenSCs from endometriosis patients and healthy volunteers and their differentiated decidual cells
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Total RNA expression of targeted genes will be analyzed by RT-qPCR.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Gene expression profile of the endometrial and endometrioma tissues
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years).
Total RNA expression of targeted genes will be analyzed by RT-qPCR.
Through study completion (average of 3 years).
Gene expression profile of the immune cells populations
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Total RNA expression of targeted genes will be analyzed by RT-qPCR.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Protein expression of MenSCs from endometriosis patients and healthy volunteers and their differentiated decidual cells
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Analysis of the protein expression profile via Western Blot.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Protein expression in endometrial and endometrioma tissues
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Analysis of the protein expression profile via Western Blot.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Protein expression in immune cells populations
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Analysis of the protein expression profile via Western Blot.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
T cells activation
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
T cells will be exposed to conditioned media from MenSCs from healthy volunteers and endometriosis patients. Afterwards, the levels of IL-10 and IFNy will be determined by ELISA assay.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
T cells proliferation rate
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
T cells will be exposed to conditioned media from MenSCs from healthy volunteers and endometriosis patients. Afterwards, their proliferative capacity will be assessed by MTT assay.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Cytokine secretion profile of macrophages
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
The levels of cytokines in the supernatant of polarized macrophages after incubation with MenSC-derived conditioned media from endometriosis patients and healthy volunteers will be determined by ELISA assay.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Gene expression profile of macrophages
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Total RNA expression of targeted genes will be analyzed by RT-qPCR.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Protein expression of macrophages
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Analysis of the protein expression profile via Western Blot.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Phagocytic capacity of macrophages
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Assessment of the macrophages' ability to engulf fluorescently labeled apoptotic bodies from MenSCs via flux cytometry and fluorescence microscopy.
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Angiogenic potential of macrophages conditioned media
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Evaluation of the ability of macrophage-derived conditioned media to induce tube formation (Matrigel) in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs).
Through study completion (average of 3 years)
Exploration of targeted interventions to reverse the pathological phenotype of MenSCs and macrophages derived from menstrual blood.
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years).
Signaling pathways and genes involved in the altered phenotype will be blocked and silenced, respectively, to evaluate if these actions reverse the cellular response to the levels of the healthy volunteers' cells.
Through study completion (average of 3 years).
Correlation of cellular, tissue and molecular findings with patients' clinical parameters.
Délai: Through study completion (average of 3 years).
The associations among the functional and immunological properties of MenSCs and macrophages, clinical parameters and dietary and behavioral habits will be stablished. These clinical parameters include endometriosis stage, pain and fertility status, and the extent and localization of the endometriosis foci.
Through study completion (average of 3 years).

Collaborateurs et enquêteurs

C'est ici que vous trouverez les personnes et les organisations impliquées dans cette étude.

Parrainer

Francisco Algaba Chueca

Collaborateurs

Hospital Universitari Joan XXIII de Tarragona.

Dates d'enregistrement des études

Ces dates suivent la progression des dossiers d'étude et des soumissions de résultats sommaires à ClinicalTrials.gov. Les dossiers d'étude et les résultats rapportés sont examinés par la Bibliothèque nationale de médecine (NLM) pour s'assurer qu'ils répondent à des normes de contrôle de qualité spécifiques avant d'être publiés sur le site Web public.

Dates principales de l'étude

Début de l'étude (Estimé)

1 avril 2026

Achèvement primaire (Estimé)

1 octobre 2027

Achèvement de l'étude (Estimé)

1 avril 2028

Dates d'inscription aux études

Première soumission

13 avril 2026

Première soumission répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité

5 mai 2026

Première publication (Réel)

11 mai 2026

Mises à jour des dossiers d'étude

Dernière mise à jour publiée (Réel)

11 mai 2026

Dernière mise à jour soumise répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité

5 mai 2026

Dernière vérification

1 mai 2026

Plus d'information

Termes liés à cette étude

Mots clés

Termes MeSH pertinents supplémentaires

Autres numéros d'identification d'étude

  • MEN-ENDO CEIm 308/2025

Informations sur les médicaments et les dispositifs, documents d'étude

Étudie un produit pharmaceutique réglementé par la FDA américaine

Non

Étudie un produit d'appareil réglementé par la FDA américaine

Non

Ces informations ont été extraites directement du site Web clinicaltrials.gov sans aucune modification. Si vous avez des demandes de modification, de suppression ou de mise à jour des détails de votre étude, veuillez contacter register@clinicaltrials.gov. Dès qu'un changement est mis en œuvre sur clinicaltrials.gov, il sera également mis à jour automatiquement sur notre site Web .

S'abonner