Reactive Oxygen Species in the Initiation, Survival and Racial Disparity of Uterine Leiomyoma

Uterine leiomyomas occur in approximately 77% of all women in the United States and can cause severe morbidity and infertility, particularly in Black women. In this proposal, we will study the importance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on initiating leiomyoma tumor development as well as studying how sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone allow the growth of leiomyoma tumors despite the toxic effects of ROS. With this knowledge, we can specifically target this pathway with existing drugs that will clear leiomyoma cells that are under ROS stress.