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Role of Iron in the Pathogenesis of Endometriosis

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Endometriosis

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Reproductive Biology ((BRIEFSREPROBIO))

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Abstract

Iron can accumulate in the peritoneal fluid, macrophages, and endometrial lesions in women with endometriosis. The process begins as erythrocytes are phagocytized by macrophages, releasing hemoglobin into the peritoneal fluid where it can form a complex with haptoglobin or be catalyzed by hemeoxygenase-1 to produce free iron. The free iron can be taken up by iron storage and transporting proteins such as ferritin and transferrin, which can lead to iron accumulation within macrophages or lesions. Iron overload can lead to the dysregulation of genes that code for molecules specific to endometriosis and oxidative stress.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Assistant Professor, Lerner College of Medicine and Case Western Reserve University, American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Sajal Gupta

  2. Professor, Lerner College of Medicine and Case Western Reserve University, American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Ashok Agarwal

  3. American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Avi Harlev

  4. Lecturer, Soroka University Medical Center, Fertility and IVF Unit, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    Avi Harlev

  5. American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Sheila Gokul & Deepika Kumaresan

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  1. Sajal Gupta
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  2. Avi Harlev
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  3. Ashok Agarwal
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  5. Deepika Kumaresan
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Correspondence to Sajal Gupta .

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Gupta, S., Harlev, A., Agarwal, A., Gokul, S., Kumaresan, D. (2015). Role of Iron in the Pathogenesis of Endometriosis. In: Endometriosis. SpringerBriefs in Reproductive Biology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18308-4_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18308-4_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-18307-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-18308-4

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