Laparoscopic Surgery: A New Technique to Induce Endometriosis in a Mouse Model. (October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peterse, Daniëlle P.; Fassbender, Amelie; O, Dorien F.; Vanhie, Arne; Saunders, Philippa; Vriens, Joris; Binda, M. Mercedes; D'Hooghe, Thomas M.
• Is Part Of: Reproductive sciences. Volume 23:Number 10(2016:Oct.)
• Page Start: 1332
• Page End: 1339
• Publication Date: 2016-10
• Subjects: laparoscopy -- endometriosis -- mouse model -- homologous -- uterus; Reproductive health -- Periodicals; Reproduction -- Periodicals; 612.6
• DOI: 10.1177/1933719116638178
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1933-7191

Abstract

Background: This prospective pilot study was designed to induce endometriosis in a mouse model using laparoscopy, a less invasive and more precise approach than laparotomy. We aimed to achieve a peritoneal implant rate of at least 50% by varying both duration of anesthesia and intra-abdominal insufflation pressure. Methods: Female BALB/cANnCrl mice in metestrus or diestrus were used as donors (n = 5) or recipients (n = 20) of uterine transplant tissue. Each recipient mouse was laparoscopically inoculated with 10 uterine pieces (range: 10-12) from donor mice into the abdominal cavity. Before starting the study, recipient mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups with variable duration of anesthesia (ketamine/xylazine or pentobarbital) and variable intra-abdominal pressure (5 or 15 mm Hg). One week after laparoscopy, endometriosis incidence and peritoneal implant take rate were documented visually during laparotomy. The retrieved lesions were histologically analyzed. Results: Laparoscopic inoculation of uterine pieces in recipient mice resulted in an endometriosis incidence of 100% (20/20 animals) and an individual peritoneal implant take rate of 60% (121/206), ranging from 17% (2/12) till 83% (10/12), without differences between the 4 subgroups, and with a histological confirmation rate of 92% (58/63). Conclusions: To the best our knowledge, this is the first report showing that endometriosis can be induced by laparoscopic surgery in rodents, with a 100% incidence and a median peritoneal implant take rate of 60%. This laparoscopic model offers important advantages over traditional laparotomy models that are limited by surgery-associated trauma and/or adhesion formation.