GLYCOMENDO · Non-invasive clinical markers for diagnosis of endometriosis
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2019-09-02 → 2021-09-01
- EU contribution
- €196,591
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Non-invasive clinical markers for diagnosis of endometriosis
What is the problem/issue being addressed? Endometriosis is a chronic disease of poorly understood pathomechanism and highly limited diagnostic techniques. It is characterised by the growth of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity affecting 6-10% of childbearing-aged women. The invasive laparoscopic surgery can provide a definitive diagnosis of endometriosis though causes a significant delay in the recognition and management of the disease. Therefore, in collaboration with clinicians, we recruited patients to participate in this study. The participants contributed to the collection of blood, urine, and high vaginal swab samples during their laparoscopic surgery. Blood and urine as minimally or non-invasive sample sources are ideal candidates for the development of new diagnostic methods. In the first year of the Glycomendo project, glycome characterization of urine of endometriosis patients was performed. As part of this work, we developed a new protocol for the pre-processing of urine samples and then characterized the glycan composition of the urine by mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Why is it important for society? Despite the prevalence of endometriosis, the aetiology of the disease is still poorly understood. In addition, endometriosis causes fertility problems and reduced quality of life and this enigmatic disease also has a serious economic cost. Direct healthcare costs for women with endometriosis are more than twice as high as women without the disease. A future minimally or non-invasive diagnostic technique would allow for an earlier diagnosis of endometriosis. This could reduce patients’ hospitalization costs and time, which is also beneficial for the economic burden, and would improve patients' well-being. What are the overall objectives? The purpose of the Glycomendo project is to identify diagnostic candidates that could replace invasive laparoscopic surgery with non-invasive diagnostic technique in the future. We also would like to draw society's attention to this little-known disease, which affects many women so that those concerned can receive appropriate medical care as soon as possible.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Endometriosis is a chronic disease that affects 10% of all women of reproductive age. It is characterized by the ectopic growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus and is a major cause of pelvic pain and disability. Endometriosis also has an adverse effect on fertility, with almost one third of patients failing to conceive. The aetiology of endometriosis is unknown and a definitive diagnosis of endometriosis requires invasive laparoscopic surgery, and treatment options are limited in number and efficacy. This research proposal will adopt an integrated, systems biology approach to finely characterize how circulating and local uterine glycoprotein profiles are altered in endometriosis, and how such profiles may be influenced by dysbiosis of the uterine microbial ecosystem including possible intracellular pathogen infection. Using our combined multidisciplinary expertise in glycomics, microbiome and gynaecology, we will use findings from this study to define how changes in glycosylation pattern and microbial profile that are associated with endometriosis may be developed as novel, non-invasive diagnostic markers for the disease. It may also provide insight into disease pathogenesis. Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of endometriosis has the potential to significantly reduce the healthcare cost burden associated with current strategies and may increase success rates of pregnancy and live births in these patients. This collaborative translational research project will be primarily based at NIBRT (SME, host institution), with secondments in APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork (UCC), and also at the Merrion Fertility Clinic (MFC) and University College Dublin Centre for Support and Training in Analysis and Research (UCD CSTAR).
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR BIOPROCESSING RESEARCH AND TRAINING LIMITED · BLACKROCK DUBLINCoordinatorIreland
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union