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Updated: May 30, 2026

Noninvasive Monitoring of Lesion Size in a Heterologous Mouse Model of Endometriosis
Published on: February 26, 2019
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists may be a novel therapy for endometriosis
Yuan Wu1, Li-Ping Wang, Jian-Qing Pan
1Department of Hepato-Billiary Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Guiyang Medical College, Guiyang, China.
Abstract:
Endometriosis (EMs) is defined as the presence of tissue which somewhat resembles endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterus, and elicit an inflammatory response. This response is accompanied by angiogenesis, adhesions, fibrosis, scarring, neuronal infiltration, and anatomical distortion, resulting in pain and infertility. Owing to the side effects of the present medical treatment and the 10% incidence of recurrence after surgery, EMs is difficult to cure completely so far, that have given impetus to consider novel therapy. Since 1980s, cigarette smoking was found inversely related to the risk of having EMs and it is generally considered that nicotine may play a beneficial role in the pathological process of EMs. Recently, the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive functions of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) as well as the related mechanisms have become a research hotspot. Based on the above-mentioned, it suggests that the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists may be applied for the treatment of EMs.
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