Problem: We aimed to evaluate modulatory effects of vitamin D3 on endometriosis-related features of endometriotic stromal cells.
Method of study: The effect of vitamin D3 on adhesion, invasion, proliferation, apoptosis, cytokine production, and angiogenesis potential of the eutopic (EuESCs), ectopic (EESCs), and control (CESCs) stromal cells from 25 women with and 20 women without endometriosis was investigated.
Results: In all groups, vitamin D3 significantly increased cell adhesion (P = 0.0013-0.042), while decreased invasion (P = 0.026-0.031) and proliferation (P = 0.0013-0.039) of EESCs and EuESCs. Such treatment also resulted in a significant decrease in IL-6 production by EESCs (P = 0.039), but had no significant effect on the IL-8 production. This vitamin also caused significant decrease in Bcl-2 gene expression by EuESCs (P = 0.04) and Bcl-xL by EESCs (P = 0.044-0.009). In addition, vitamin D3 treatment reduced VEGF-A gene expression by EESCs (P = 0.046-0.009).
Conclusion: Based on substantial favourable in vitro effects of vitamin D3 in endometriosis-related features of human endometriotic stromal cells, further investigations on therapeutic potential of this hormone in endometriosis are warranted.
Keywords: Adhesion; angiogenesis; apoptosis; endometriosis; invasion; proliferation; vitamin D3.
© 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.