“…TNF-α, a pleiotropic pro-inflammatory cytokine, is regarded as an important regulatory molecule in eliciting inflammatory immune responses in endometriosis, and its abnormal production may contribute to the pathophysiology of endometriosis, including cell proliferation and adhesion (1,12). The nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factors play key roles in immune and inflammatory responses, and modulate cell proliferation, apoptosis, adhesion, invasion and angiogenesis in several cell types, including endometrial cells (13,14). The activation of NF-κB has been implicated in the early development of endometriotic lesions in vivo (13).…”