New gene may lead to treatment for endometriosis

SCIENTISTS have identified a genetic link to the painful condition endometriosis, where womb-like tissue begins to grow elsewhere in the body. It can lead to fertility problems.

The condition is currently treated with hormone therapy and surgery.

Now scientists from the University of Oxford and the U.S. have discovered a gene called NPSR1 that’s connected to the condition. This could lead to the development of new drugs and treatments to tackle it.

They analysed DNA from 32 families where at least three women had the condition, then compared this with DNA from monkeys suffering from it.

Both groups shared variants of the NPSR1 gene, reports the journal Science Translational Medicine.