Kevin G. Osteen

OBJECTIVE: To harmonize standard operating procedures (SOPs) and standardize the recording of associated data for collection, processing, and storage of fluid biospecimens relevant to endometriosis. DESIGN: An international collaboration i…

Endometriosis is a disease in which the lining of the uterus (endometrium), shed at the time of menstruation, becomes established at sites such as the peritoneum and ovaries. These explants develop a rich blood supply that enables them to s…

CONTEXT: Retinoic acid (RA) may promote survival or apoptosis of cells, depending on the levels of binding proteins: apoptosis-inducing cellular RA binding protein 2 (CRABP2), and cell survival-promoting fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5)…

Progesterone action normally mediates the balance between anti-inflammatory and proinflammatory processes throughout the female reproductive tract. However, in women with endometriosis, endometrial progesterone resistance, characterized by …

CONTEXT: Growth of endometriotic lesions in rodent model of endometriosis is inhibited by resveratrol, a natural polyphenol with antiproliferative and antiinflammatory properties, and simvastatin, an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-…

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether dietary fish oil supplementation reduces development of spontaneous endometriosis-associated adhesions using an established model. DESIGN: Laboratory-based study. SETTING: Medical center research laboratory. …

OBJECTIVE: To examine the differentiation-related expression of cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1-R) messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein in endometrial tissue obtained from women with and without endometriosis and to determine the impact of acu…

Endometriosis is a highly prevalent estrogen-dependent gynecological inflammatory disease of reproductive-age women characterized by the presence of functional endometrial cells outside the uterus commonly leading to inflammation, pain and …

Recently we reported that statins, the competitive inhibitors of the key enzyme regulating the mevalonate pathway, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), decrease proliferation of human endometrial stromal (HES) cells. Fur…

Statins are potent inhibitors of the endogenous mevalonate pathway. Besides inhibiting cholesterol biosynthesis, statins may also demonstrate anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is implicated in the attachment and invasion of endomet…

In a murine model, we have linked early life toxicant exposure to reduced uterine sensitivity to progesterone, a phenotype we had previously associated with inflammation in endometriosis patients. Subsequent studies revealed that developmen…

We have previously described diminished uterine progesterone response and increased uterine sensitivity to inflammation in adult female mice with a history of developmental exposure to TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin). Since partu…

TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin) is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant and known endocrine disruptor. Since humans and animals are most sensitive to toxicant exposure during development, we previously developed a mouse model o…

Endometriosis is a common, complex gynecologic disorder characterized by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma at extrauterine (ectopic) sites. In women who develop this disease, alterations in specific biological processes involvin…

Endometriosis was first described in the medical literature more than 100 years ago, yet its etiology remains poorly understood. Nevertheless, a century of medical research has yielded a significantly greater understanding of the multiple p…

Endometriosis is an often painful disorder in which the endometrial glands and stroma grow outside the uterus. The disease affects women's quality of life and is a common cause of infertility. In this review, we describe promising new devel…

We have recently reported that adult male C57BL/6 mice exposed in utero to the environmental toxicant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) confer an increased risk of preterm birth (PTB) to unexposed females. Risk of PTB was coinciden…

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of a recent surgery on development of endometriosis-related adhesions in a chimeric model and to determine the therapeutic efficacy of pioglitazone (PIO). DESIGN: Human endometrial biopsies were maintained …

Development of endometriosis likely requires multiple, interactive mechanisms involving both the endocrine and immune systems. Environmental toxicants, such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), are of particular interest as potent…

A recent survey in the United States identified 287 different chemicals in human cord blood, demonstrating the significant exposure of women and their children to a wide array of environmental toxicants. While reducing contamination and exp…

OBJECTIVE: To develop a chimeric human/mouse model of experimental endometriosis for the examination of the role of human immune cells in this disease. DESIGN: Laboratory-based study. SETTING: University-affiliated medical center. PATIEN…