Elimination of type of bacteria suggests treatment for endometriosis (21 days of Metronidazole)

Medical Xpress / Nagoya University / Science Translational Medicine ^ | June 14, 2023 | Ayako Muraoka et al

[ConservativeMind]

A research group has discovered that using an antibiotic to target Fusobacterium reduced the formation of lesions associated with endometriosis, a gynecological disorder characterized by endometrial tissue usually found inside the uterus being found outside it. Their findings suggest an alternative treatment for this disorder.

Endometriosis affects one in ten women between the ages of 15 and 49. The disorder can cause lifelong health problems, including pelvic pain and infertility. Although it can be treated using hormone therapy and surgical resection, these procedures sometimes lead to side effects, recurrence, and a significant impact on pregnancy.

The group led by Professor Yutaka Kondo found that the uterus of mice infected with Fusobacterium had more and heavier lesions. However, mice that had been given an antibiotic to eradicate Fusobacterium saw improved lesion formation.

The team's findings strongly suggest that targeting Fusobacterium is an effective non-hormonal antibiotic treatment for endometriosis. Dr. Kondo praised the potential for easier diagnosis and treatment. "Eradication of this bacterium by antibiotic treatment could be an approach to treat endometriosis for women who are positive for fusobacteria infection, and such women could be easily identified by vaginal swab or uterus swab," he said.

This study also shows the benefit of looking at upstream events to determine causative agents. The initial finding was that a protein called transgelin (TAGLN) was often upregulated in patients with endometriosis. This was unsurprising because the protein is associated with processes that are important in the development of endometriosis.

However, this finding led them to determine that transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) seemed to cause the upregulation of TAGLN. Since TGF-β is released by macrophages, the natural anti-inflammatory response and immune regulation cells of the body, this led them to conclude that these macrophages were being activated in response to Fusobacterium.

[ConservativeMind]

The study is behind a paywall, but the supplemental materials gave the two antibiotics that each separately eliminated the bacteria after 21 days: Metronidazole (Generic, cheap, widely available, generally safe) and Chloramphenicol (Injected, with more side effects). Either worked, according to the slide pictures I saw in the supplemental materials, which were free.

[ConservativeMind]

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[small farm girl]

Very interesting, thanks for posting. An alternative to the typical “hormone therapy” of birth control is badly needed. Off topic, but do they have to gender everybody? What’s wrong with just using their names and leaving it at that????

[nagant]

As with the vast majority of autoimmune diseases, the cause is digestive bacterial mimicry. The bacteria mutate to mimic tissue. The immune system recognizes the tissue as a bacterial attack, and attacks the tissue. In the case of endometriosis the body starts replacing the bacteria with endometrial tissue. That’s because the bacteria-caused inflammation mimics conditions resembling those in menstruation.