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Endometriosis Retinol connection
I am raising a thread to keep my findings regarding endo as I believe it is connected to A somehow. Feel free to post things if you happen to come across anything 🙂
https://www.endonews.com/retinoic-acid-signaling-involved-in-endometrial-decidualization
Highlights:
- Researchers from the Northwestern University School of Medicine have observed significant differences in the uptake, metabolism, and action of retinoic acid in the cells of endometriosis tissue, compared to eutopic endometrium in preparation for pregnancy - a process called decidualization.
- The genes involved in retinoid uptake and action (such as CRABP1 and CRABP2) are decreased, while those participating in the elimination of retinoid acid were increased, compared to normal endometrium. The retinoic acid cascade genes and their ratio are necessary for the appropriate decidualization. Furthermore, the lack of another paracrine molecule, RBP4, in endometriosis during decidualization, may be the cause of increased estradiol levels.
Genes responsible for taking up retinol are decreased while genes responsible for removing the same are increased. At the same time, RBP4 is missing. How can a be transported away from the tissue if the vehicle is missing? (note to self: look this up)
Another paracrine molecule, RBP4, is present in endometrium but not in endometriosis cells typically induces the enzyme 17-beta-dOH-type 2 (HSD17B2) to inactivate excess estradiol during decidualization. The absence of RBP4 in endometriosis may be the reason for the excess levels of estradiol ensuing in a vicious cycle
Stromal cells of endometriosis showed a decrease in the genes involved in retinoid uptake and action (such as CRABP1 and CRABP2) while those participating in the elimination of retinoid acid were increased, compared to normal endometrium stroma. When CRABP2 was eliminated from the normal endometrial cells, prolactin levels were significantly decreased- indicating that CRABP2 has a role in the ability for normal endometrium to decidualize and function properly. Conversely, when FABP5 was eliminated from endometriotic stromal cells, prolactin levels increased, and their ability to decidualize is increased. Thus, CRUBP2 and FABP5 ratio may play antagonistic roles on the endometrium, and their ratio is critical for the cell fate in preparation for pregnancy. Researchers also found that another paracrine molecule, RBP4, is secreted in the endometrium, but not in endometriosis cells during decidualization which functions to induce the enzyme 17-beta-dOH-type 2 (HSD17B2) is also important because HSD17B2 is absent in endometriosis thus estradiol can not be inactivated.
What I am really interesting in finding out is the "why" and the "how".
I don’t know if I told you already but when I had my uterus and one ovary removed in 2006 they found old scar tissue from endometriosis. They photographed it to show me the evidence. I was never diagnosed with endometriosis despite going to the OBGyn repeatedly with complaints for years. I took micellized vitamin A in the late 90’s and had all kinds of problems after that but never made the vitamin A connection. I did progesterone cream at one point so that might have helped some since progesterone increases RBP. Just thought I’d add my experience. I think you’re on the right track. Bella
Hm i am unsure if you did mention it or not (thanks to my horrible memory 😂) interesting that it was old scar tissue and not full blown, as it must have dried out by itself. That in itself is really fascinating, I have heard about a few who got rid of their endo and never needed surgery. One of them due to pregnancy. But I had no idea progesterone increases RBP, so that i will dig into! Thanks 😀
I used high dose bioidentical progesterone for appx 1,5 years. Helped a lot with symtoms but it can also make endo worse, and mine had "exploded" in a short time which i know vit A is involved in, but I cannot rule out the progesterone, as I did not have regular checkups because I, somehow, was kicked out from the system for 2 years until i had to go to ER due to severe symtoms and that way was let "back in" and that is when they saw how bad it had become and 2 months later, surgery. That grudge will hold on for a while 😂
The longest sentence ever? 😬