MSc. Anna Wójtowicz, a Ph.D. student from the Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, won the award for outstanding oral presentation entitled „The role of Th2 lymphocytes in the development of endometrosis” during the 1st Scientific Conference: Scientific and practical aspects of horse reproduction, held 23-25 February, 2023 at the Horse Stud in Walewice.

Ms. Anna Wójtowicz is doing her doctoral thesis under the supervision of Dr. Anna Szóstek-Mioduchowska.

Endometrosis is a chronic degenerative inflammation of the equine endometrium. It leads to changes in tissue architecture and results in impaired endometrial function and, consequently, early loss of embryos. During the development of endometrosis, an increase in the number of myofibroblasts in the endometrium responsible for the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, such as collagens is observed. Matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors play a key role in ECM remodeling. T helper (Th) lymphocytes are involved in the development of pulmonary, renal, and hepatic fibrosis in humans and rodents. So far, it has been shown that Th1 lymphocytes have an anti-fibrotic effect, while Th2 lymphocytes have a profibrotic effect. However, the role of Th2 lymphocytes, and in particular the mediators secreted by them: interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13, in the development of endometrosis remains unknown. The study aimed to determine the tissue localization of IL-4 and IL-13 receptors in the endometrium of categories I, IIA, IIB, and III, as well as to examine the effect of IL-4 and IL-13 on fibroblast proliferation and selected markers of fibrosis gene expression.

The research presented at the conference was carried out as part of a research project No. 2019/35/D/NZ9/02989, headed by Dr. Anna Szóstek-Mioduchowska, financed by the National Science Centre.