Study Flags TREM2 Macrophages as Endometriosis Target
Researchers report that immune cells expressing the receptor TREM2 may offer a future target for endometriosis treatments beyond hormone therapy.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Women’s Health
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Endometriosis affects an estimated 200 million women of reproductive age, and current hormone therapies can be ineffective and lead to recurrence. A study published in Advanced Science by Wiley on November 12, 2026, found that macrophages expressing TREM2 were enriched in endometriosis samples compared with controls.
Why it matters
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease linked to pain, infertility and increased ovarian cancer risk, and existing treatments do not work for every patient. The findings suggest a possible route to non-hormonal therapies by targeting how immune cells suppress the body's ability to clear abnormal tissue.
The evidence comes from single-cell RNA sequencing of patient samples, showing TREM2-expressing macrophages enriched compared with controls, with mouse experiments reporting increased CD8+ T cell and NK cell cytotoxic activity when TREM2 was absent. It remains unclear whether these laboratory and animal results will hold in human patients.
The players
Advanced Science (Wiley)
Advanced Science is an open-access journal published by Wiley, a global academic publisher that releases peer-reviewed research across the sciences.
The details
Researchers found that CD8+ T cells and NK cells in endometriosis samples were terminally exhausted and less able to kill damaged or foreign cells. Autophagy was linked to this T cell dysfunction downstream of TREM2+ macrophages, and mice lacking TREM2 showed greater cytotoxic activity and protection against endometrial growth.
Timeline
November 12, 2026: Study published in Advanced Science by Wiley
Health Landscape
Hormone therapies have been the standard approach to managing endometriosis, but their limits in preventing recurrence have driven interest in alternatives. This immune-focused research points toward non-hormonal options that could reshape how the disease is treated over the longer term.
For women living with endometriosis, the research signals that future treatments may not depend solely on hormones, which can be ineffective or lead to recurrence. Any therapy based on these findings would still need years of clinical testing before reaching patients.
The takeaway
The study adds a new immune-system angle to endometriosis research, suggesting that treatments targeting immune cells could eventually complement hormone therapy. Readers should note these results come from patient samples, cell cultures and mice, so clinical relevance is still to be established.
Further reading
Explore more on Women's Health to see related coverage of conditions affecting women.
More information
Read the peer-reviewed study on TREM2 macrophages in endometriosis published in Advanced Science.
Source note: This article includes information reported by News-Medical.
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