Research reveals early warning signs for uterine health

Researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have shed new light on how the uterus develops, leading to a better understanding of female reproductive health while providing clues to early disease detection. 

The study looked at a specific group of cells that make up the structure of the uterus and how they communicated with each other. These interactions – which usually promote growth or direct tissue to form – also help maintain homeostasis, or a stable environment, inside the uterus.  

“These mechanisms are still poorly understood,” study author Andrew Kelleher said. “By understanding what normal uterine development looks like, we can detect abnormalities that could be indicators of cancer growth or other endometrial diseases.” 

For example, basal cells, which are a type of structural cells, are not usually found in the uterus. If they are present, however, it could be a marker of cancer or a sign of other diseases and would warrant further testing. 

“A lot of times, these diseases don’t get diagnosed until women are trying to get pregnant and have fertility issues,” first author Jason Rizo said. “In addition, endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer in the United States, and many women suffer from endometriosis and other diseases. If we can catch these diseases earlier, we could improve quality of life and protect fertility.”  

Future research will continue to study the behavior of structural cells and their ability to regenerate. Kelleher hopes that there will also be opportunities to study the development of several gynecologic diseases and determine what is different from a healthy uterus. 

“The ultimate goal is to use this knowledge to design targeted therapeutics to identify and treat gynecological diseases like endometrial cancer and endometriosis,” Kelleher said. 

Andrew Kelleher, PhD is an assistant professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health at the MU School of Medicine and a NextGen Precision Health Investigator. Jason Rizo is a PhD candidate in the Division of Animal Sciences at the University of Missouri. 

“Uterine organoids reveal insights into epithelial specification and plasticity in development and disease” was recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences. In addition to Kelleher and Rizo, MU study authors include Vakil Ahmad, senior research specialist; Jacob Pru, graduate student pursuing his PhD in translational biosciences; Tae Hoon Kim, PhD, NextGen Precision Health Investigator; Jae-Wook Jeong, PhD, Division Director of Reproductive Sciences; and Thomas Spencer, PhD, Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Missouri.