Neuroendocrine–immune disequilibrium and endometriosis: an interdisciplinary approach

Endometriosis, a chronic disease characterized by endometrial tissue located outside the uterine cavity, affects one fourth of young women and is associated with chronic pelvic pain and infertility. However, an in-depth understanding of the pathophysiology and effective treatment strategies of endometriosis is still largely elusive. Inadequate immune and neuroendocrine responses are significantly involved in the pathophysiology of endometriosis, and key findings are summarized in the present review. We discuss here the role of different immune mechanisms particularly adhesion molecules, protein–glycan interactions, and pro-angiogenic mediators in the development and progression of the disease. Finally, we introduce the concept of endometrial dissemination as result of a neuroendocrine-immune disequilibrium in response to high levels of perceived stress caused by cardinal clinical symptoms of endometriosis

Adenomatoid Odontogenic Tumor (AOT) Originating in a Unicystic Ameloblastoma: A Case Report

The follicular variant of the adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT) is thought to originate from the reduced enamel epithelium of the dental follicle. The origin of the extra-follicular variant however, remains less clear. This paper presents a case of an extra-follicular AOT, which we believe originated from the epithelial lining of a unicystic ameloblastoma, and reviews the literature. The available evidence seems to indicate that some extra-follicular AOTs might arise as secondary phenomena within pre-existing odontogenic cysts or cystic tumors