Figure 1.

HCQ reduces endometriotic cell survival as well as lesion number and histopathology in a mouse model of endometriosis. (a) Representative images of life-extended endometriotic cells using human endometriotic cells derived from two different lesion types: ‘C' and ‘D' treated for 18 h with 25 μM HCQ. (b) Cell survival of life-extended endometriotic cells treated with 25 μM HCQ for 5 days was assessed by CellTiter-glo and measuring luminescence. (c) Cell lysate from life-extended endometriotic cells treated with 25 μM HCQ for 18 h were analyzed by western blotting using the indicated antibodies. Three independent experiments were performed. (d) Schematic representation of the experimental design. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with β-estradiol at 6 weeks of age. After 1 week, these mice were killed and their uterine horns were removed, minced, and injected into the peritoneal cavity of the same-age mice (recipients at 7 weeks of age). The same day of endometriosis induction, mice received an intraperitoneal injection of HCQ or PBS. A second dose was administered 1 week later. Two weeks after induction, mice were killed and samples were collected. (e) The lesion numbers, area, and volume per mouse are shown for HCQ- and PBS-treated endometriosis-induced mice. A subset of lesions (PBS- (n=12) and HCQ- (n=10) treated mice) was measured lengthwise and widthwise to determine the area and volume. (f) Uterine horns and lesions from PBS- and HCQ-treated mice were subjected to H&E staining. Black arrowheads indicate glandular compartments (top panels). Black arrows indicate epithelial cells (bottom panels). All images were captured at 10 × magnification