The immune system, the microbiome and endometriosis: current knowledge and future directions

"BMC Medicine is calling for submissions to our Collection on The immune system, the microbiome and endometriosis: current knowledge and future directions. Endometriosis is a prevalent and frequently debilitating chronic inflammatory disorder that globally impacts roughly 1 in 10 women in their reproductive years. Despite its prevalence, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, making effective treatments elusive. Emerging evidence suggest that microbial dysbiosis within the female reproductive system and gut may trigger abnormal immune responses, thus facilitating the growth and persistence of endometriotic lesions. While traditional studies have largely focused on hormonal and surgical treatments, there remains a crucial gap in our understanding of how the microbiome and immune responses interact in this disease landscape. Importantly, there are questions about the feasibility and effectiveness of modulating these systems as a treatment strategy: Could targeted antibiotics, prebiotics, probiotics, or microbiome transplants serve as potential therapies? Might specific immune modulators decrease the severity of symptoms? Moreover, innovative diagnostic approaches, such as identifying disease-specific microbiomes, can potentially enable earlier and more precise diagnoses. In this article collection, we encourage research contributions seeking to understand these complex interactions and paving the way towards preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic options for endometriosis to alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life for individuals affected. The objectives of this special edition are: To provide a platform for well-designed, adequately sized microbiome studies in endometriosis or adenomyosis. To aggregate high-quality research that elucidates the mechanistic interplay between the microbiome and immune responses in the onset and progression of endometriosis. To provide a comprehensive overview of current evidence-based approaches towards microbiome and immune system modulation as diagnostic, preventive, or therapeutic strategies for endometriosis. To identify gaps in existing research, thereby fostering subsequent investigations that might transform current clinical paradigms. We are particularly interested in papers that fall under the following topics: Microbial Dysbiosis and Endometriosis: Microbial imbalances associated with endometriosis and their role in initiating and progressing endometriotic lesions in the female reproductive system and intestines Immune System Dysregulation: Immunological mechanisms contributing to the development and maintenance of endometriosis and the influence of microbial dysbiosis on the immune response in endometriosis Diagnostic Biomarkers: Microbial or immune system biomarkers for early and precise diagnosis of endometriosis and their integration into non-invasive diagnostic tools to expedite diagnosis Therapeutic Interventions: Potential therapeutic strategies targeting the microbiome and the immune system to alleviate endometriosis symptoms and the effectiveness of interventions such as antibiotics, prebiotics, probiotics, or microbial transplants in modulating the microbiome and immune response in endometriosis BMC Medicine is keen to ensure an inclusive Article Collection, so authors are encouraged to apply to become commissioned contributors. We also welcome outstanding mechanistic laboratory studies that provide relevant translational insights into the role of the microbiome and immune system in the pathophysiology of endometriosis. Please submit directly to BMC Medicine, indicating in your cover letter that you are targeting this collection. Alternatively, you can email a pre-submission query to the editorial team at bmcmedicineeditorial@biomedcentral.com. The collection will remain open and accept submissions up to one year after launch. Guest Editors provide guidance on the scope of this collection, advice on commissioned content, and editorial recommendations. However, they are not involved in the final editorial decision-making on papers submitted to this collection. All final editorial decisions are with the Editor-in-Chief, Dr Lin Lee."