Golinska Monika, Wołyniak Maria, Kulesza Piotr, Fendler Wojciech
Department of Biostatistics and Translational Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Front Immunol. 2025 Aug 29;16:1621178. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1621178. eCollection 2025.
Chronic pain is a defining feature of endometriosis and contributes significantly to the diminished quality of life observed in affected individuals. Despite advances in understanding disease pathology, current therapeutic strategies largely fail to simultaneously target both lesion development and pain generation. In this review, we examine the neurobiology of endometriosis-associated pain at the level of the brain, dorsal root ganglia, and lesion innervation, with a particular focus on the interplay between inflammation and neurogenesis. We highlight how these processes converge on the JAK/STAT signaling pathway, a critical regulator of both immune activation and nerve fiber growth. The central role of mast cells in coordinating inflammatory and neurogenic responses is also discussed. Emerging evidence supporting the use of JAK inhibitors and mast cell stabilizers in modulating these pathways is reviewed, with emphasis on their potential for repurposing in endometriosis therapy. By targeting the shared mechanisms underlying lesion progression and pain, these pharmacological strategies offer a promising avenue for improving clinical outcomes. Further research is necessary to validate the efficacy and safety of these approaches, but the therapeutic potential of JAK/STAT pathway inhibition and mast cell stabilization could represent a paradigm shift in endometriosis management.
慢性疼痛是子宫内膜异位症的一个显著特征,对受影响个体生活质量的下降有很大影响。尽管在理解疾病病理方面取得了进展,但目前的治疗策略在很大程度上未能同时针对病变发展和疼痛产生。在这篇综述中,我们在大脑、背根神经节和病变神经支配水平上研究了子宫内膜异位症相关疼痛的神经生物学,特别关注炎症与神经发生之间的相互作用。我们强调这些过程如何汇聚在JAK/STAT信号通路上,这是免疫激活和神经纤维生长的关键调节因子。还讨论了肥大细胞在协调炎症和神经源性反应中的核心作用。综述了支持使用JAK抑制剂和肥大细胞稳定剂调节这些通路的新证据,重点是它们在子宫内膜异位症治疗中重新利用的潜力。通过针对病变进展和疼痛的共同机制,这些药理学策略为改善临床结果提供了一条有前途的途径。有必要进一步研究以验证这些方法的有效性和安全性,但抑制JAK/STAT通路和稳定肥大细胞的治疗潜力可能代表子宫内膜异位症管理的范式转变。