Mast Cells and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Contribute to Pelvic Tactile Allodynia in a Non-invasive Mouse Model of Endometriosis

Endometriosis (EM) impacts ~4 million women in the US. EM lesions are infiltrated with mast cells (MCs) and have elevated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). To test the hypothesis that MC and VEGF drive endometriosis-associated pelvic pain, we assessed therapeutic agents on pelvic tactile allodynia in a mouse model of EM. C57BL/6J donor mice (6-weeks old) received a subcutaneous injection of estradiol benzoate (10 µg), and 4 days later, each uterine horn was excised and placed in Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) and minced.
Source: The Journal of Pain - Category: Materials Science Authors: Source Type: research