Nitration of protein phosphatase 2A increases via Epac1/PLCε/CaMKII/HDAC5/iNOS cascade in human endometrial stromal cell decidualization

Research advances in endometriosis-related signaling pathways: A review

Endometriosis (EM) is characterized by the existence of endometrial mucosa outside the uterine cavity, which causesinfertility, persistent aches, and a decline in women's quality of life. Both hormone therapies and nonhormone therapies, such as NSAIDs, are ineffective, generic categories of EM drugs. Endometriosis is a benign gynecological condition, yet it shares a number of features with cancer cells, including immune evasion, survival, adhesion, invasion, and angiogenesis. Several endometriosis-related signaling pathways are comprehensively reviewed in this article, including E2, NF-κB, MAPK, ERK, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, YAP, Wnt/β-catenin, Rho/ROCK, TGF-β, VEGF, NO, iron, cytokines and chemokines. To find and develop novel medications for the treatment of EM, it is essential to implicitly determine the molecular pathways that are disordered during EM development. Additionally, research on the shared pathways between EM and tumors can provide hypotheses or suggestions for endometriosis therapeutic targets.

Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BMSCs) Enhance the In Vitro Activities of Endometrial Cells via Strengthening the Phosphorylation and Activation of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase (PI3K)

Mancozeb (ethylene bis-dithiocarbamate) is an organometallic fungicide and is widely used in agriculture and is related to women’s spontaneous abortion and menstrual abnormalities. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) can impede endometrial fibrosis via suppressing PI3K pathway, but its effect on the activity of endometrial cells induced by mancozeb/EDU is unclear. This study intends to explore the protective effects of co-culture with BMSCs on endometrial cells after mancozeb/EDU treatment. Endometrial cells were randomized into control group, mancozeb/EDU group (mancozeb/EDU treatment), BMSCs group (cells were co-cultured with BMSCs after mancozeb/EDU treatment), and inhibitor group (treated with PI3K-Akt-mTOR inhibitor) followed by analysis of the expression of PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway-related proteins, cell viability by MTT and cell invasion and migration by Transwell and scratch test. Mancozeb/EDU treatment significantly inhibited PI3K-Akt-mTOR signals and cell proliferation, increased apoptosis and decreased cell invasion and migration, which were all reversed by co-culture with BMSCs. Additionally, the co-culture with BMSCs modulated the In Vitro viability of endometrial cells by influencing PI3K-Akt-mTOR signal transduction pathway, which can be inverted by PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway-specific antagonists. In conclusion, BMSCs exerted a protective effect on the In Vitro viability of endometrial cells by manipulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal transduction, which helped to protect endometrial cells from damage caused by mancozeb/ETU treatment.

Differential Expression and Bioinformatics Analysis of tRF/tiRNA in Endometriosis Patients

Background. Endometriosis (EMs) is a benign chronic condition that tends to recur in women of childbearing age, with an incidence of approximately 10%. It is a multifactorial disease for which the pathogenesis is currently unclear. This study is aimed at investigating the expression and clinical significance of tRNA-derived small RNA (tsRNA), a novel noncoding small RNA with potential regulatory functions, in endometriosis. Methods. The tRF/tiRNA expression profiles in endometrial tissues from three pairs of endometriosis patients and controls were detected by tRF&tiRNA PCR microarray technology and then verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The target genes and target sites of TRF396, tiRNA-5030-GlnTTG-3, TRF308, and TRF320 were predicted by miRanda, and the network diagram of their interaction with miRNA was drawn. The impact of tRNA-derived fragments on the pathogenesis of endometriosis was analyzed using the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Results. Two upregulated and 19 downregulated tRNA-derived fragments were identified. The qRT-PCR results of 2 upregulated and 2 downregulated RNA-derived fragments were consistent with the RNA Seq data. The OR2B4 gene related to TRF396, the DGAT1 gene related to tiRNA-5030-GlnTTG-3, the KLF16 gene of TRF308, and the RNF213 gene of TRF320 had significant correlations. Gene Ontology and pathway analysis showed that the target genes of TRF396 and tiRNA-5030-GlnTTG-3 were mainly involved in the intrinsic components of the membrane and the overall composition of the membrane in cell components; molecular functions mainly involve olfactory conduction and G protein-coupled receptor activity. In the biological process, it was mainly involved in the detection of sensory stimuli. The target genes of TRF308 and TRF320 were mainly involved in the intracellular part; molecular functions are mainly related to DNA binding transcription factor activity and protein binding and mainly related to biological regulation of biological processes. Pathway analysis showed that the RAP1 signaling pathway and the AXON GUIDANCE signaling pathway may participate in the progression of endometriosis. Conclusion. The differential expression of tRF/tiRNA in endometriosis may be related to the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Furthermore, tRF/tiRNA may be a biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of EMs in the future.