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Yang Y, Li LL, Qi YX, Liu DJ. Research Progress of Caspase in Endometriosis. Reprod Sci 2024; 31:1496-1507. [PMID: 38347381 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-023-01425-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
Endometriosis, a common chronic gynecological disease, refers to the presence and proliferation of endometrial tissue in locations other than the uterine cavity. Approximately 6 to 10% of the population of women of childbearing age are known to have endometriosis; the most common clinical signs are pelvic pain and infertility. Although endometriosis is a benign disease, it exhibits some typical features of malignant tumors, such as proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and recurrence. Endometriosis is considered a chronic, inflammatory, and estrogen-dependent disease, and multiple factors contribute to its occurrence and development. In recent years, increasing attention has been given to the role of apoptosis in the pathogenesis of this disease. Some researchers believe that spontaneous apoptosis of the endometrium is critical in maintaining its normal structure and function, and abnormal apoptosis can promote the occurrence and development of endometriosis. Inflammation is another likely process in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Inflammation mediates the adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and invasion of ectopic lesions of endometriosis, primarily by regulating the function of immune cells and increasing the level of proinflammatory cytokines in body fluids. The ultimate initiators of apoptosis and inflammatory cell death (pyroptosis) are the caspase family proteases. In this article, we review the progress in recent years in caspase function as well as the possible role of these enzymes in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, indicating potential treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Yang
- Department of Centre for Reproductive Medicine, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Lei-Lei Li
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yu-Xin Qi
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Da-Jiang Liu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
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Wang B, Gao M, Yao Y, Li H, Zhang X. Focusing on the role of protein kinase mTOR in endometrial physiology and pathology: insights for therapeutic interventions. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:359. [PMID: 38400863 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08937-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine/threonine protein kinase crucial for cellular differentiation, proliferation, and autophagy. It shows a complex role in the endometrium, influencing both normal and pathogenic conditions. mTOR promotes the growth and maturation of endometrial cells, enhancing endometrial receptivity and decidualization. However, it also contributes to the development of endometriosis (EMs) and endometrial cancer (EC), thus emerging as a therapeutic target for these conditions. In this review, we summarize recent research progress on the mTOR signalling pathway in the endometrium. This provides insights into female endometrial structure and function and guides the prevention and treatment of related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Wang
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Mingxia Gao
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory for Reproductive Medicine and Embryo of Gansu, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ying Yao
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hongwei Li
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xuehong Zhang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
- Key Laboratory for Reproductive Medicine and Embryo of Gansu, Lanzhou, China.
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Kobayashi H, Imanaka S, Yoshimoto C, Matsubara S, Shigetomi H. Molecular mechanism of autophagy and apoptosis in endometriosis: Current understanding and future research directions. Reprod Med Biol 2024; 23:e12577. [PMID: 38645639 PMCID: PMC11031673 DOI: 10.1002/rmb2.12577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Endometriosis is a common gynecological condition, with symptoms including pain and infertility. Regurgitated endometrial cells into the peritoneal cavity encounter hypoxia and nutrient starvation. Endometriotic cells have evolved various adaptive mechanisms to survive in this inevitable condition. These adaptations include escape from apoptosis. Autophagy, a self-degradation system, controls apoptosis during stress conditions. However, to date, the mechanisms regulating the interplay between autophagy and apoptosis are still poorly understood. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the molecular characteristics of autophagy in endometriosis and discuss future therapeutic challenges. Methods A search of PubMed and Google Scholar databases were used to identify relevant studies for this narrative literature review. Results Autophagy may be dynamically regulated through various intrinsic (e.g., PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal transduction network) and extrinsic (e.g., hypoxia and iron-mediated oxidative stress) pathways, contributing to the development and progression of endometriosis. Upregulation of mTOR expression suppresses apoptosis via inhibiting the autophagy pathway, whereas hypoxia or excess iron often inhibits apoptosis via promoting autophagy. Conclusion Endometriotic cells may have acquired antiapoptotic mechanisms through unique intrinsic and extrinsic autophagy pathways to survive in changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Kobayashi
- Department of Gynecology and Reproductive MedicineMs.Clinic MayOneKashiharaJapan
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyNara Medical UniversityKashiharaJapan
| | - Shogo Imanaka
- Department of Gynecology and Reproductive MedicineMs.Clinic MayOneKashiharaJapan
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyNara Medical UniversityKashiharaJapan
| | - Chiharu Yoshimoto
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyNara Medical UniversityKashiharaJapan
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyNara Prefecture General Medical CenterNaraJapan
| | - Sho Matsubara
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyNara Medical UniversityKashiharaJapan
- Department of MedicineKei Oushin ClinicNishinomiyaJapan
| | - Hiroshi Shigetomi
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyNara Medical UniversityKashiharaJapan
- Department of Gynecology and Reproductive MedicineAska Ladies ClinicNaraJapan
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Zhou Y, Jin Y, Wu T, Wang Y, Dong Y, Chen P, Hu C, Pan N, Ye C, Shen L, Lin M, Fang T, Wu R. New insights on mitochondrial heteroplasmy observed in ovarian diseases. J Adv Res 2023:S2090-1232(23)00372-7. [PMID: 38061426 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2023.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The reportedly high mutation rate of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) may be attributed to the absence of histone protection and complete repair mechanisms. Mitochondrial heteroplasmy refers to the coexistence of wild-type and mutant mtDNA. Most healthy individuals carry a low point mutation load (<1 %) in their mtDNA, typically without any discernible phenotypic effects. However, as it exceeds a certain threshold, it may cause the onset of various diseases. Since the ovary is a highly energy-intensive organ, it relies heavily on mitochondrial function. Mitochondrial heteroplasmy can potentially contribute to a variety of significant ovarian disorders. AIM OF REVIEW In this review, we have elucidated the close relationship between mtDNA heteroplasmy and ovarian diseases, and summarized novel avenues and strategies for the potential treatment of these ovarian diseases. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW Mitochondrial heteroplasmy can potentially contribute to a variety of significant ovarian disorders, including polycystic ovary syndrome, premature ovarian insufficiency, and endometriosis. Current strategies related to mitochondrial heteroplasmy are untargeted and have low bioavailability. Nanoparticle delivery systems loaded with mitochondrial modulators, mitochondrial replacement/transplantation therapy, and mitochondria-targeted gene editing therapy may offer promising paths towards potentially more effective treatments for these diseases, despite ongoing challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhou
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People's Republic of China; Women's Reproductive Health Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Jin
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianyu Wu
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People's Republic of China
| | - Yinfeng Wang
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanhang Dong
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People's Republic of China
| | - Pei Chen
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People's Republic of China
| | - Changchang Hu
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People's Republic of China
| | - Ningping Pan
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People's Republic of China
| | - Chaoshuang Ye
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Shen
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengyan Lin
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Fang
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruijin Wu
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People's Republic of China; Women's Reproductive Health Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China; Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, People's Republic of China.
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Samare-Najaf M, Neisy A, Samareh A, Moghadam D, Jamali N, Zarei R, Zal F. The constructive and destructive impact of autophagy on both genders' reproducibility, a comprehensive review. Autophagy 2023; 19:3033-3061. [PMID: 37505071 PMCID: PMC10621263 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2023.2238577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproduction is characterized by a series of massive renovations at molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. Recent studies have strongly tended to reveal the involvement of basic molecular pathways such as autophagy, a highly conserved eukaryotic cellular recycling, during reproductive processes. This review comprehensively describes the current knowledge, updated to September 2022, of autophagy contribution during reproductive processes in males including spermatogenesis, sperm motility and viability, and male sex hormones and females including germ cells and oocytes viability, ovulation, implantation, fertilization, and female sex hormones. Furthermore, the consequences of disruption in autophagic flux on the reproductive disorders including oligospermia, azoospermia, asthenozoospermia, teratozoospermia, globozoospermia, premature ovarian insufficiency, polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis, and other disorders related to infertility are discussed as well.Abbreviations: AKT/protein kinase B: AKT serine/threonine kinase; AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; ATG: autophagy related; E2: estrogen; EDs: endocrine disruptors; ER: endoplasmic reticulum; FSH: follicle stimulating hormone; FOX: forkhead box; GCs: granulosa cells; HIF: hypoxia inducible factor; IVF: in vitro fertilization; IVM: in vitro maturation; LCs: Leydig cells; LDs: lipid droplets; LH: luteinizing hormone; LRWD1: leucine rich repeats and WD repeat domain containing 1; MAP1LC3: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3; MAPK: mitogen-activated protein kinase; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; NFKB/NF-kB: nuclear factor kappa B; P4: progesterone; PCOS: polycystic ovarian syndrome; PDLIM1: PDZ and LIM domain 1; PI3K: phosphoinositide 3-kinase; PtdIns3P: phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate; PtdIns3K: class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; POI: premature ovarian insufficiency; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SCs: Sertoli cells; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; TSGA10: testis specific 10; TST: testosterone; VCP: vasolin containing protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Samare-Najaf
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Blood Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Kerman Regional Blood Transfusion Center, Kerman, Iran
| | - Asma Neisy
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ali Samareh
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Delaram Moghadam
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Navid Jamali
- Department of Laboratory Sciences, Sirjan School of Medical Sciences, Sirjan, Iran
| | - Reza Zarei
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Zal
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Infertility Research Centre, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Li H, Yang H, Lu S, Wang X, Shi X, Mao P. Autophagy-dependent ferroptosis is involved in the development of endometriosis. Gynecol Endocrinol 2023; 39:2242962. [PMID: 37553011 DOI: 10.1080/09513590.2023.2242962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Endometriosis (EMS) is an estrogen-dependent condition with unclear pathogenesis. Recent findings suggest implicate autophagy and ferroptosis in EMS development. METHODS We assessed autophagy and ferroptosis proteins in EMS patients using immunohistochemistry and western blot and established an EMS rat model through allograft endometrial transplantation, confirmed via hematoxylin and eosin staining and epithelial-mesenchymal transition -related proteins. Primary EMS cells were isolated from the model rats and cultured under five conditions: control, EMS, EMS with Rapamycin (autophagy inducer), EMS with si-Atg5 (autophagy inhibitor), and EMS with si-Atg5 plus Erastin (ferroptosis inducer). We evaluated cell viability, iron content, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial morphologyin EMS cells, and detected autophagy and ferroptosis proteins through immunofluorescence, western blot, and monodansylcadaverine staining. RESULTS Autophagy proteins Beclin1 and LC3 were highly expressed, whereas p62, glutathione peroxidase 4, and p53 were lowly expressed in EMS patients. Rapamycin decreased cell viability but increased iron content, reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxide production, the number of ferroptotic mitochondria, and the expression of autophagy proteins in EMS cells, while si-Atg5 showed opposite effects. Additionally, Erastin reversed the impact of si-Atg5 on EMS cells. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that autophagy-dependent ferroptosis plays a role in EMS progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, China
| | - Huadi Yang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, China
| | - Shenyi Lu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, China
| | - Xinyan Wang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, China
| | - Xinhe Shi
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, China
| | - Peiyu Mao
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, China
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Deng Y, Lou T, Kong L, Liu C. Prohibitin2/PHB2, Transcriptionally Regulated by GABPA, Inhibits Cell Growth via PRKN/Parkin-dependent Mitophagy in Endometriosis. Reprod Sci 2023; 30:3629-3640. [PMID: 37587393 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-023-01316-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Endometriosis (EMS) is a common benign gynecological disease affecting women of reproductive age. It is characterized by abnormal growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity, resulting in chronic pelvic pain and infertility. Endometrial physiological and pathological processes are intimately connected to autophagy. Mitophagy is an essential selective mode that protects cells from metabolic stress and hypoxia. Mitochondrial autophagy mediated by prohibitin 2 (PHB2) is dependent on the PRKN/Parkin pathway and is involved in numerous human diseases. Uncertainty remains as to whether mitophagy regulation by PHB2 contributes to the occurrence and progression of EMS. This study aims to investigate the mechanism underlying the role of PHB2 in EMS. This study detected the protein and mRNA expression of PHB2 in ectopic and normal endometrial tissues of ovarian EMS, in addition to ectopic endometrial cell line 12Z and endometrial stromal cell line KC02-44D for gene overexpression or knockdown. Cell function experiments and mitochondrial function experiments were conducted to investigate the role of PHB2 in the endometrium. Bioinformatic analysis and experiments were also used to investigate the upstream transcription factors that influence PHB2 expression. PHB2 was downregulated in ectopic endometrium, and PHB2 overexpression inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoted apoptosis. The upregulation of mitophagy markers, including Parkin and LC3II/I, and the downregulation of autophagy degradation markers P62 and TOMM20 in EMS suggest that PHB2 may contribute to cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis via PRKN/Parkin-mediated mitophagy. Analysis and validation of bioinformatics data revealed that the transcription factor GABPA binds directly to the PHB2 promoter region and controls the transcriptional expression of PHB2. This study investigated the role of PHB2 in the onset of EMS. It inhibits EMS growth via PRKN/Parkin-mediated mitophagy, and GABPA controls the transcriptional disorder of PHB2. This study's findings suggest a novel method for investigating the clinical potential of PHB2 in EMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yupeng Deng
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, China
| | - Tong Lou
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, China
| | - Lili Kong
- Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100144, China.
| | - Chongdong Liu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, China.
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Chen M, Wang W, Fu X, Yi Y, Wang K, Wang M. Role of Pink1-mediated mitophagy in adenomyosis. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16497. [PMID: 38050606 PMCID: PMC10693823 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract Background Recent studies indicate that endometrial hypoxia plays a critical role in adenomyosis (AM) development. Mitochondria are extremely sensitive to hypoxic damage, which can result in both morphological and functional impairment. Mitophagy is a crucial mechanism for preserving mitochondrial quality by selectively removing damaged mitochondria, thus ensuring the proper functioning of the entire mitochondrial network. In response to hypoxia, PINK1 is activated as a regulator of mitophagy, but its role in AM requires further study. Objective To explore the potential mechanism of mitophagy mediated by PINK1 in the pathogenesis of AM. Method The study compared PINK1, Parkin, OPTIN, P62, and NDP52 protein expression levels in patients with or without AM using clinical specimens and an AM mouse model. Pathological changes were compared using HE staining. Immunofluorescence and western blot were used to detect protein expression levels. Endometrial stromal cells (ESC) were isolated and examined for mitophagy, protein expression level, and cell invasion ability. Results Both the endometrial tissue from patients with AM and AM ESC displayed an upregulation of protein levels for PINK1, Parkin, OPTIN, P62, and NDP52 when compared with the control group. Then, HE staining confirmed the successful establishment of the AM mouse model. Moreover, the ultrastructural analysis using transmission electron microscopy revealed that AM mice's endometrial glandular epithelial and stromal cells had exhibited swollen, deformed, and reduced mitochondria along with an increase in the number of lysosomes and mitochondrial autophagosomes. The protein levels of PINK1, Parkin, OPTIN, P62, and NDP52 in uterine tissue from AM mice were noticeably increased, accompanied by a considerable upregulation of ROS levels compared to the control group. In addition, cells in the AM group showed remarkably elevated mitophagy and invasion potentials compared to the control group. In contrast, the cell invasion ability decreased following PINK1 knockdown using the RNA interference technique. Conclusion The high levels of PINK1-mediated mitophagy have been found in AM. The upregulation in mitophagy contributes to mitochondrial damage, which may result in the abnormal invasion characteristic of AM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minmin Chen
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Three Gorges University & Yichang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yichang, China
- Third-grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Traditional Chinese Medicine, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Wei Wang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Three Gorges University & Yichang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yichang, China
| | - Xianyun Fu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Three Gorges University & Yichang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yichang, China
- Third-grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Traditional Chinese Medicine, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Yongli Yi
- Third-grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Traditional Chinese Medicine, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Kun Wang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Three Gorges University & Yichang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yichang, China
- Third-grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Traditional Chinese Medicine, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Meiling Wang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Three Gorges University & Yichang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yichang, China
- Third-grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Traditional Chinese Medicine, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
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Zheng G, Ren J, Shang L, Bao Y. Role of autophagy in the pathogenesis and regulation of pain. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 955:175859. [PMID: 37429517 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Pain is a ubiquitous and highly concerned clinical symptom, usually caused by peripheral or central nervous injury, tissue damage, or other diseases. The long-term existence of pain can seriously affect daily physical function and quality of life and produce great torture on the physiological and psychological levels. However, the complex pathogenesis of pain involving molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways has not been fully elucidated, and managing pain remains highly challenging. As a result, finding new targets to pursue effective and long-term pain treatment strategies is required and urgent. Autophagy is an intracellular degradation and recycling process that maintains tissue homeostasis and energy supply, which can be cytoprotective and is vital in maintaining neural plasticity and proper nervous system function. Much evidence has shown that autophagy dysregulation is linked to the emergence of neuropathic pain, such as postherpetic neuralgia and cancer-related pain. Autophagy has also been connected to pain caused by osteoarthritis and lumbar disc degeneration. It is worth noting that in recent years, studies on traditional Chinese medicine have also proved that several traditional Chinese medicine monomers involve autophagy in the mechanism of pain relief. Therefore, autophagy can serve as a potential regulatory target to provide new ideas and inspiration for pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangda Zheng
- Department of Oncology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100053, China.
| | - Juanxia Ren
- Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, 110847, Liaoning Province, China.
| | - Lu Shang
- Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, 110847, Liaoning Province, China.
| | - Yanju Bao
- Department of Oncology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100053, China.
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10
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Liao Z, Lei Y, Peng L, Fu X, Wang W, Yang D. Network pharmacology prediction and experimental verification of Rhubarb-Peach Kernel promoting apoptosis in endometriosis. BMC Complement Med Ther 2023; 23:291. [PMID: 37598188 PMCID: PMC10439631 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-04084-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND "Rhubarb-Peach Kernel" herb pair (RP) one of the most frequently used drug pairs, has been used in traditional medicine in China to treat inflammation and diseases associated with pain. Although it is widely used clinically and has a remarkable curative effect, the mechanism of RP treatment for endometriosis (EMs) remains unclear due to its complicated components. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-endometriosis effect of RP, with emphasis on apoptosis via network pharmacology prediction, molecular docking and experimental verification. METHODS The related ingredients and targets of RP in treating EMs were screened out using Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP), Tool for Molecular mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine (BATMAN-TCM), and GeneCards database. The data of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was obtained by the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interaction Gene/Proteins (STRING) Database. The Metascape database was adopt for Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. After that, the molecular docking of the main active ingredients and apoptosis targets was performed. Finally, the pro-apoptotic effect of RP was verified in hEM15a cells. RESULTS A total of 32 RP compounds were collected. Forty-two matching targets were picked out as the correlative targets of RP in treating EMs. Among these, 18 hub targets including P53, CASP3 were recognized by the PPI network. KEGG enrichment analysis discovered that the regulation of apoptosis was one of the potential mechanisms of RP against EMs. Anthraquinone compounds, flavonoids, and triterpenes in RP were identified as crucial active ingredients, involved in the pro-apoptotic effect, which were confirmed subsequently by molecular docking. Additionally, it was verified that RP treatment promoted apoptosis and inhibited the proliferation of EMs cells (assessed by MTT and Flow cytometry). Moreover, the induction of apoptosis in treated EMs cells may be due to the regulation of apoptosis-related protein expression, including P53, BAX, and CASP3. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study demonstrated that RP may exert its therapeutic effects on EMs through the potential mechanism of promoting apoptosis. Anthraquinones, flavonoids and triterpenoids are the possible pro-apoptotic components in RP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi Liao
- Third-Grade Pharmacological Laboratory On Traditional Chinese Medicine, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Ya Lei
- Third-Grade Pharmacological Laboratory On Traditional Chinese Medicine, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Li Peng
- The First College of Clinical Medicine Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, China.
| | - Xianyun Fu
- Third-Grade Pharmacological Laboratory On Traditional Chinese Medicine, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China.
| | - Wei Wang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Three Gorges University & Yichang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yichang, China
| | - Dan Yang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Three Gorges University & Yichang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yichang, China
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Interdonato L, Marino Y, D'Amico R, Cordaro M, Siracusa R, Impellizzeri D, Macrì F, Fusco R, Cuzzocrea S, Di Paola R. Modulation of the Proliferative Pathway, Neuroinflammation and Pain in Endometriosis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11741. [PMID: 37511500 PMCID: PMC10380329 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis is a chronic disease characterized by pelvic inflammation. This study aimed at investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathology and how they can be modulated by the administration of a natural compound, Actaea racemosa (AR). We employed an in vivo model of endometriosis in which rats were intraperitoneally injected with uterine fragments from donor animals. During the experiment, rats were monitored by abdominal high-frequency ultrasound analysis. AR was able to reduce the lesion's size and histological morphology. From a molecular point of view, AR reduced hyperproliferation, as shown by Ki-67 and PCNA expression and MAPK phosphorylation. The impaired apoptosis pathway was also restored, as shown by the TUNEL assay and RT-PCR for Bax, Bcl-2, and Caspase levels. AR also has important antioxidant (reduced Nox expression, restored SOD activity and GSH levels, and reduced MPO activity and MDA levels) and anti-inflammatory (reduced cytokine levels) properties. Moreover, AR demonstrated its ability to reduce the pain-like behaviors associated with the pathology, the neuro-sensitizing mediators (c-FOS and NGF) expression, and the related central astrogliosis (GFAP expression in the spinal cord, brain cortex, and hippocampus). Overall, our data showed that AR was able to manage several pathways involved in endometriosis suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia Interdonato
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Ylenia Marino
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Ramona D'Amico
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Marika Cordaro
- Department of Biomedical, Dental and Morphological and Functional Imaging, University of Messina, Consolare Valeria, 98100 Messina, Italy
| | - Rosalba Siracusa
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Daniela Impellizzeri
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Francesco Macrì
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Anunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Roberta Fusco
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Salvatore Cuzzocrea
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Rosanna Di Paola
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Anunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
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12
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Wei J, Huang B, Nong Y, Zhang Q, Liu W, Xie Y, Peng T, Wang W, Liang X, Li Q, Liu F. Identification of a Novel Cuproptosis-Related Gene Signature in Eutopic Endometrium of Women with Endometriosis. Reprod Sci 2023; 30:1841-1853. [PMID: 36474131 PMCID: PMC10229735 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-022-01130-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Endometriosis (EMs) is a life-long endocrine disorder and a common cause for female infertility and pelvic pain. The key characteristics of eutopic endometrium of EMs patients are high proliferative and migratory potentials. Cuproptosis is a recently identified copper- and-mitochondrial-dependent regulated cell death. Regretfully, its role in EMs remains unclear. In this study, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) indicated strong activation of the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway and biological process analysis reported positive regulation of kinase activity. Next, we screened 11 cuproptosis-related DEGs and found all of them were downregulated in the EMs group, which indicated the suppression of cuproptosis in EMs. One key cuproptosis-related gene, PDHA1, was selected via support vector machine, random forest algorithm and lasso regularization to build a risk-scoring model, which was tested in both internal and external validations. In conclusion, the downregulation and kinase activity of PDHA1 may function with the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway in some way, which could suppress the cuproptosis level and account for the cancer-like pathology in EMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Wei
- Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511495, China
- Department of Reproductive Health and Infertility, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, 511442, China
| | - Baoyi Huang
- Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511495, China
| | - Yingqi Nong
- Department of Reproductive Health and Infertility, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, 511442, China
| | - Qianyu Zhang
- Department of Reproductive Health and Infertility, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, 511442, China
| | - Wenjuan Liu
- Department of Reproductive Health and Infertility, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, 511442, China
| | - Yanni Xie
- Department of Reproductive Health and Infertility, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, 511442, China
| | - Tong Peng
- Department of Reproductive Health and Infertility, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, 511442, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511495, China
- Department of Reproductive Health and Infertility, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, 511442, China
| | - Xiangping Liang
- Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511495, China
- Department of Reproductive Health and Infertility, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, 511442, China
| | - Qiuyun Li
- Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511495, China
- Department of Reproductive Health and Infertility, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, 511442, China
| | - Fenghua Liu
- Department of Reproductive Health and Infertility, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, 511442, China.
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13
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Tezuka M, Tsuchioka K, Kobayashi K, Kuramochi Y, Kiguchi S. Suppressive effects of linzagolix, a novel non-peptide antagonist of gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptors, in experimental endometriosis model rats. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 2023. [PMID: 37186405 DOI: 10.1111/1440-1681.13778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Endometriosis is an oestrogen-dependent disease in which endometrial-like tissue grows outside the uterus in women of reproductive age. Accordingly, control of oestradiol (E2) levels is an effective treatment for endometriosis. Because gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is the main controller of E2 secretion, control of GnRH signalling by GnRH antagonism is an effective strategy for the treatment of sex hormone-dependent diseases such as endometriosis. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the potent, orally available and selective GnRH antagonist linzagolix on experimental endometriosis in rats and compare them with those of dienogest, which is used clinically to treat endometriosis. Experimental endometriosis was induced in female rats at the proestrus stage of the oestrous cycle via autotransplantation of endometrial tissue into the renal subcapsular space. Linzagolix significantly decreased cyst volumes compared with the control group at doses of 50 mg/kg or more. Indeed, a suppressive effect of dienogest on cyst volume was observed only at the highest dose evaluated (1 mg/kg). The effective concentration of linzagolix, calculated as the free form of the last-observed drug concentration, was ~1 μmol/L in endometriosis model rats. The present study also reveals that linzagolix exerts a sustained inhibitory effect on E2 secretion, indicating that the suppressive effect on endometriosis cyst volumes could be attributed to its pharmacological suppression of GnRH signalling and serum E2 concentrations. Altogether, our findings indicate that linzagolix may be a useful therapeutic intervention for hormone-dependent diseases including endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motohiro Tezuka
- Central Research Laboratories, Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Azumino, Japan
| | - Kumi Tsuchioka
- Central Research Laboratories, Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Azumino, Japan
| | - Kaoru Kobayashi
- Central Research Laboratories, Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Azumino, Japan
| | - Yu Kuramochi
- Central Research Laboratories, Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Azumino, Japan
| | - Sumiyoshi Kiguchi
- Central Research Laboratories, Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Azumino, Japan
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14
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Anderson G, Almulla AF, Reiter RJ, Maes M. Redefining Autoimmune Disorders' Pathoetiology: Implications for Mood and Psychotic Disorders' Association with Neurodegenerative and Classical Autoimmune Disorders. Cells 2023; 12:cells12091237. [PMID: 37174637 PMCID: PMC10177037 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Although previously restricted to a limited number of medical conditions, there is a growing appreciation that 'autoimmune' (or immune-mediated) processes are important aspects of a wide array of diverse medical conditions, including cancers, neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders. All of these classes of medical conditions are associated with alterations in mitochondrial function across an array of diverse cell types. Accumulating data indicate the presence of the mitochondrial melatonergic pathway in possibly all body cells, with important consequences for pathways crucial in driving CD8+ T cell and B-cell 'autoimmune'-linked processes. Melatonin suppression coupled with the upregulation of oxidative stress suppress PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1)/parkin-driven mitophagy, raising the levels of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-1, which underpins the chemoattraction of CD8+ T cells and the activation of antibody-producing B-cells. Many factors and processes closely associated with autoimmunity, including gut microbiome/permeability, circadian rhythms, aging, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) all interact with the mitochondrial melatonergic pathway. A number of future research directions and novel treatment implications are indicated for this wide collection of poorly conceptualized and treated medical presentations. It is proposed that the etiology of many 'autoimmune'/'immune-mediated' disorders should be conceptualized as significantly determined by mitochondrial dysregulation, with alterations in the mitochondrial melatonergic pathway being an important aspect of these pathoetiologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Anderson
- CRC Scotland & London, Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1PG, UK
| | - Abbas F Almulla
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Medical Laboratory Technology Department, College of Medical Technology, The Islamic University, Najaf 54001, Iraq
| | - Russel J Reiter
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health Long School of Medicine, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Michael Maes
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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15
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Cho MK, Jin JS, Jo Y, Han JH, Shin S, Bae SJ, Ryu D, Joo J, Park JK, Ha KT. Frankincense ameliorates endometriosis via inducing apoptosis and reducing adhesion. Integr Med Res 2023; 12:100947. [PMID: 37168676 PMCID: PMC10165193 DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2023.100947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Frankincense, a resin derived from trees of the Boswellia genus, has been used as an incense and a type of herbal medicine for treating inflammatory diseases such arthritis, chronic bowel illness, and asthma. While endometriosis is a well-known inflammatory gynecological illness caused by the ectopic attachment and development of uterine tissue over the menstrual cycle, the impact of frankincense on this illness is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of frankincense on endometriosis. Methods We used a network pharmacological assessment, in vitro and in vivo investigations with a human endometriotic cell line as well as a syngeneic uterine transfer mouse model. High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis was used to compare water-extracted frankincense (Fr) to its reference compounds and validate the sample. Results A network pharmacological analysis suggested a positive effect of Fr on endometriosis. Fr relieved endometriosis by reducing ectopic endometrial adherence and development, according to both in vivo and in vitro models. We suggested that the ER stress/p53-apoptosis and chemokine-migration/adhesion pathways underlie Fr's anti-endometriotic action using RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis. Conclusion This study revealed the potential effect of Fr on endometriosis using an experimental investigation. Fr may have the potential to be an effective and safe treatment for endometriosis.
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16
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Arangia A, Marino Y, Fusco R, Siracusa R, Cordaro M, D’Amico R, Macrì F, Raffone E, Impellizzeri D, Cuzzocrea S, Di Paola R. Fisetin, a Natural Polyphenol, Ameliorates Endometriosis Modulating Mast Cells Derived NLRP-3 Inflammasome Pathway and Oxidative Stress. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065076. [PMID: 36982152 PMCID: PMC10049430 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
A chronic, painful, and inflammatory condition known as endometriosis is defined by the extra-uterine development of endometrial tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the beneficial effects of fisetin, a naturally occurring polyphenol that is frequently present in a variety of fruits and vegetables. Uterine fragments were injected intraperitoneally to cause endometriosis, and fisetin was given orally every day. At 14 days of treatment, laparotomy was performed, and the endometrial implants and peritoneal fluids were collected for histological, biochemical, and molecular analyses. Rats subjected to endometriosis presented important macroscopic and microscopic changes, increased mast cell (MC) infiltration, and fibrosis. Fisetin treatment reduced endometriotic implant area, diameter, and volumes, as well as histological alterations, neutrophil infiltration, cytokines release, the number of MCs together with the expression of chymase and tryptase, and diminished α smooth muscle actin (α-sma) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF β) expressions. In addition, fisetin was able to reduce markers of oxidative stress as well as nitrotyrosine and Poly ADP ribose expressions and increase apoptosis in endometrial lesions. In conclusion, fisetin could represent a new therapeutic strategy to control endometriosis perhaps by targeting the MC-derived NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome pathway and oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Arangia
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Ylenia Marino
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Roberta Fusco
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Rosalba Siracusa
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Marika Cordaro
- Department of Biomedical, Dental and Morphological and Functional Imaging, University of Messina, Consolare Valeria, 98100 Messina, Italy
| | - Ramona D’Amico
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Francesco Macrì
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Emanuela Raffone
- Department of Maternal and Child Obstetrics and Gynecology, Papardo Hospital, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Daniela Impellizzeri
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-090-676-4734
| | - Salvatore Cuzzocrea
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
- Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Rosanna Di Paola
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
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17
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Huang ZX, He XR, Ding XY, Chen JH, Lei YH, Bai JB, Lin DC, Hong YH, Lan JF, Chen QH. Lipoxin A4 depresses inflammation and promotes autophagy via AhR/mTOR/AKT pathway to suppress endometriosis. Am J Reprod Immunol 2023; 89:e13659. [PMID: 36412044 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endometriosis is a benign gynecological disease with the feature of estrogen dependence and inflammation. The function of autophagy and the correlation with inflammation were not yet revealed. METHODS Autophagosomes were detected by transmission electron microscopy. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was referred to analyze the expression of autophagy-related genes. Quantification of mRNA and protein expression was examined by qRT-PCR and Western Blot. Immunohistochemistry was performed to explore the expression of proteins in tissues. The mouse model of endometriosis was performed to analyze the autophagic activity and effect of LXA4. RESULTS The expression of autophagy-related genes in endometriotic lesions were unusually changed. The number of autophagosomes and LC3B-II expression was diminished, and p62 was increased in ectopic lesions from both patients and mice. Interleukin 1β (IL1β) attenuated the expression of LC3B and promoted the level p62. The autophagy activator MG-132 upregulated the expression of LC3B and reduced IL1β, IL6, and p62. LXA4 reversed the inhibitory effect of IL1β on the expression of LC3B and p62, and blocking the receptor of LXA4 AhR (aryl hydrocarbon receptor) resulted in the incapacitation of LXA4 to influence the effect of IL1β. LXA4 depressed the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR to against IL1β, and blocking AhR negatively regulated the effect of LXA4 on AKT/mTOR pathway. LXA4 reduced the ectopic lesions and the expression of IL1β and p62, but enhanced LC3B-II in endometriotic mouse models. CONCLUSION In endometriosis, increased inflammation of ectopic lesions prominently depresses autophagy. LXA4 could regulate autophagy by suppressing inflammatory response through AhR/AKT/mTOR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Xiong Huang
- Clinical Medical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology Diseases of Fujian Province, Laboratory of Research and Diagnosis of Gynecological Diseases of Xiamen City, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xiao-Rong He
- Dermatology Institute of Fuzhou, Dermatology Hospital of Fuzhou, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xin-Yu Ding
- Clinical Medical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology Diseases of Fujian Province, Laboratory of Research and Diagnosis of Gynecological Diseases of Xiamen City, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jia-Hao Chen
- Clinical Medical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology Diseases of Fujian Province, Laboratory of Research and Diagnosis of Gynecological Diseases of Xiamen City, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yi-Hong Lei
- Clinical Medical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology Diseases of Fujian Province, Laboratory of Research and Diagnosis of Gynecological Diseases of Xiamen City, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,The Third Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jian-Bing Bai
- Clinical Medical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology Diseases of Fujian Province, Laboratory of Research and Diagnosis of Gynecological Diseases of Xiamen City, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Dian-Chao Lin
- Clinical Medical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology Diseases of Fujian Province, Laboratory of Research and Diagnosis of Gynecological Diseases of Xiamen City, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yi-Huang Hong
- Clinical Medical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology Diseases of Fujian Province, Laboratory of Research and Diagnosis of Gynecological Diseases of Xiamen City, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jian-Fa Lan
- Clinical Medical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology Diseases of Fujian Province, Laboratory of Research and Diagnosis of Gynecological Diseases of Xiamen City, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Qiong-Hua Chen
- Clinical Medical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology Diseases of Fujian Province, Laboratory of Research and Diagnosis of Gynecological Diseases of Xiamen City, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,The Third Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
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18
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Sabbadin C, Saccardi C, Andrisani A, Vitagliano A, Marin L, Ragazzi E, Bordin L, Ambrosini G, Armanini D. Role of Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System and Cortisol in Endometriosis: A Preliminary Report. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010310. [PMID: 36613755 PMCID: PMC9820500 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with pelvic pain, infertility, and increased cardiovascular risk. Recent studies suggest a possible role of aldosterone as a pro-inflammatory hormone in the pathogenesis of the disease. Cortisol is also an important mediator of stress reaction, but its role is controversial in endometriosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate aldosterone and cortisol levels and blood pressure values in women with endometriosis. We measured blood pressure, plasma aldosterone, renin, cortisol, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) in 20 women with untreated minimal or mild pelvic endometriosis compared with 20 healthy controls matched for age and body mass index. Aldosterone values were similar in the two groups, while renin was significantly lower and the aldosterone to renin ratio was significantly higher in patients with endometriosis than in controls. Systolic blood pressure was in the normal range, but significantly higher in patients with endometriosis. Morning plasma cortisol was normal, but significantly lower in patients with endometriosis compared with controls, while DHEAS to cortisol ratio was similar in the two groups. These preliminary results are evidence of increased biological aldosterone activity and dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in early stages of endometriosis. These alterations could play a role in disease development, suggesting new therapeutic targets for aldosterone receptor blockers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Sabbadin
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Carlo Saccardi
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandra Andrisani
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Amerigo Vitagliano
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Loris Marin
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Eugenio Ragazzi
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Luciana Bordin
- Department of Molecular Medicine-Biological Chemistry, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Guido Ambrosini
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Decio Armanini
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
- Correspondence:
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19
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D’Amico R, Impellizzeri D, Cordaro M, Siracusa R, Interdonato L, Marino Y, Crupi R, Gugliandolo E, Macrì F, Di Paola D, Peritore AF, Fusco R, Cuzzocrea S, Di Paola R. Complex Interplay between Autophagy and Oxidative Stress in the Development of Endometriosis. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11122484. [PMID: 36552692 PMCID: PMC9774576 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11122484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis (Endo) is a chronic gynecological disease. This paper aimed to evaluate the modulation of autophagy, oxidative stress and apoptosis with Açai Berries in a rat model of endometriosis. Endometriosis was induced with an intraperitoneal injection of minced uterus tissue from a donor rat into a recipient one. The abdominal high-frequency ultrasound (hfUS) analysis was performed at 7 and 14 days from the endometriosis induction to evaluate the growth of the lesion during the experiment. Seven days from the induction, once the lesions were implanted, an Açai Berry was administered daily by gavage for the next seven days. At the end of the experiment, the hfUS analysis showed a reduced lesion diameter in animals given the Açai Berry. A macroscopical and histological analysis confirmed this result. From the molecular point of view, Western blot analyses were conducted to evaluate the autophagy induction. Samples collected from the Endo group showed impaired autophagy, while the Açai Berry administration inhibited PI3K and AKT and ERK1/2 phosphorylation and promoted autophagy by inactivating mTOR. Additionally, Açai Berry administration dephosphorylated ATG1, promoting the activity of the ATG1/ULK1 complex that recruited Ambra1/Beclin1 and Atg9 to promote autophagosome nucleation and LC3II expression. Açai Berry administration also restored mitophagy, which increased Parkin cytosolic expression. The Açai Berry increased the expression of NRF2 in the nucleus and the expression of its downstream antioxidant proteins as NQO-1 and HO-1, thereby restoring the oxidative imbalance. It also restored the impaired apoptotic pathway by reducing BCL-2 and increasing BAX expression. This result was also confirmed by the TUNEL assay. Overall, our results displayed that Açai Berry administration was able to modulate autophagy, oxidative stress and apoptosis during endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona D’Amico
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Daniela Impellizzeri
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Marika Cordaro
- Department of Biomedical, Dental and Morphological and Functional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Rosalba Siracusa
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Livia Interdonato
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Ylenia Marino
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Rosalia Crupi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Annunzita, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Enrico Gugliandolo
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Annunzita, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Francesco Macrì
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Annunzita, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Davide Di Paola
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Alessio Filippo Peritore
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Roberta Fusco
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Salvatore Cuzzocrea
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Rosanna Di Paola
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Annunzita, 98168 Messina, Italy
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D’Amico R, Impellizzeri D, Cordaro M, Siracusa R, Interdonato L, Crupi R, Gugliandolo E, Macrì F, Di Paola D, Peritore AF, Fusco R, Cuzzocrea S, Di Paola R. Regulation of Apoptosis and Oxidative Stress by Oral Boswellia Serrata Gum Resin Extract in a Rat Model of Endometriosis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315348. [PMID: 36499679 PMCID: PMC9736785 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis (EMS) is a gynecological disease characterized by inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis dysregulation. This study aims to evaluate the effect of Boswellia serrata gum resin extract (BS) on the endometriotic lesions in a rat model of endometriosis. We divided female rats into three groups, including Sham, EMS, EMS + BS. In the EMS and EMS + BS groups, pathology was induced and after 7 days by the abdominal high-frequency ultrasound (hfUS) analysis the presence of the endometriotic lesions was confirmed. Subsequently, the EMS + BS group was administered with BS (100 mg/Kg) daily for another 7 days. At the end of the experiment, the hfUS analysis was repeated and the animals were sacrificed to evaluate the size and histoarchitecture of the endometriotic implants. Pelvic ultrasound showed increased size of the endometriotic lesions in the Endo group, while BS administration reduced the lesion size. The macroscopic analysis confirmed the reduced area and volume of the endometriotic lesions of the EMS + BS group. The histological analysis showed reduced characteristic of ectopic stroma and glands in the animals treated with BS. Western blot analyses were conducted to evaluate the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway. BS increases the expression of Nfr2 in the nucleus and the expression of its downstream antioxidant proteins NQO-1 and HO-1. Moreover, it reduced lipid peroxidation and increased glutathione (GSH) levels, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. BS administration also restored the impaired apoptotic pathway in the lesions by reducing Bcl-2 expression and increasing Bax and cleaved caspase 9 levels. The BS apoptotic effect was also confirmed by the cleavage of PARP, another specific marker of apoptosis, and by the TUNEL assay. Our results show that BS administration resulted in an effective and coordinated suppression of Endo owing to its antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona D’Amico
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Daniela Impellizzeri
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Marika Cordaro
- Department of Biomedical, Dental and Morphological and Functional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Rosalba Siracusa
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Livia Interdonato
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Rosalia Crupi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Annunzita, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Enrico Gugliandolo
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Annunzita, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Francesco Macrì
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Annunzita, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Davide Di Paola
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Alessio Filippo Peritore
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Roberta Fusco
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Salvatore Cuzzocrea
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres, n 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Rosanna Di Paola
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Annunzita, 98168 Messina, Italy
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Ji X, Huang C, Mao H, Zhang Z, Zhang X, Yue B, Li X, Wu Q. Identification of immune- and autophagy-related genes and effective diagnostic biomarkers in endometriosis: a bioinformatics analysis. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2022; 10:1397. [PMID: 36660690 PMCID: PMC9843312 DOI: 10.21037/atm-22-5979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Background To identify autophagy- and immune-related hub genes affecting the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. Methods Gene expression data were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) (GSE11691 and GSE120103 for training, and GSE7305 for validation). By overlapping the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) module genes, and autophagy-related genes (ARGs), and immune-related genes (IRGs) separately, hub genes were identified using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)and support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE). The hub genes were analyzed by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. A hub gene-prediction model was constructed and assessed using five-fold cross-validation via five supervised machine-learning algorithms: random forest, the sequential minimal optimization (SMO), K-nearest neighbours (IBK), C4.5 decision tree (J48), and logistics regression. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was adopted to assess the identification ability of characteristic genes. Results 1,116 DEGs were obtained from the training cohort, and 22 endometriosis-related IRGs were identified by overlapping the 1,116 DEGs, 3,222 module genes, and 1,793 IRGs. Meanwhile, 45 endometriosis-related ARGs were obtained (1,928 ARGs). Subsequently, nine IRG hub genes (BST2, CCL13, CD86, CSF1, FAM3C, GREM1, ISG20, PSMB8, and S100A11) and nine ARG hub genes (GSK3A, HTR2B, RAB3GAP1, ARFIP2, BNIP3, CSF1, MAOA, PPP1R13L, and SH3GLB2) were obtained by LASSO and SVM-RFE. GO analysis indicated that the ARG hub genes responded to the regulation of autophagy and mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization, and KEGG enrichment analysis involved serotonergic and dopaminergic synapses. GO analysis also indicated that the IRG hub genes responded to the regulation of leukocyte proliferation and mononuclear cell migration, and KEGG analysis showed enrichment involved in viral protein interaction with cytokines and cytokine receptors. The AUC of the random-forest algorithm of ARGs was 0.975 in the training cohort and 0.940 in the validation cohort, and the AUC of the SMO algorithm of IRGs was 0.907 in the training cohort and 0.8 in the validation cohort. Conclusions Seventeen hub genes are closely associated with endometriosis. These genes are potential autophagy- and immune-related biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiujia Ji
- School of Chinese Clinical Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Cancan Huang
- School of Chinese Clinical Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Haiyan Mao
- Traditional Medical Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zuoliang Zhang
- School of Chinese Clinical Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaohua Zhang
- School of Chinese Clinical Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Bin Yue
- School of Chinese Clinical Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xinyue Li
- School of Chinese Clinical Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Quansheng Wu
- School of Chinese Clinical Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
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Rudzitis-Auth J, Becker M, Scheuer C, Menger MD, Laschke MW. Indole-3-Carbinol Inhibits the Growth of Endometriotic Lesions by Suppression of Microvascular Network Formation. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14224940. [PMID: 36432626 PMCID: PMC9696246 DOI: 10.3390/nu14224940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis represents an estrogen-dependent disorder with a complex pathophysiology. Phytochemicals are promising candidates for endometriosis therapy, because they simultaneously target different cellular processes involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Herein, we analyzed whether indole-3-carbinol (I3C) suppresses the development of endometriotic lesions, which were surgically induced by fixation of uterine tissue samples (diameter: 2 mm) from female BALB/c donor mice to the peritoneum of recipient animals. The mice received either I3C or vehicle (control) by peroral administration once per day. Growth, cyst formation, cell proliferation, microvascularization and protein expression of the lesions were assessed by high-resolution ultrasound imaging, caliper measurements, histology, immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. I3C inhibited the vascularization and growth of endometriotic lesions without inducing anti-angiogenic and anti-proliferative side effects on reproductive organs. This was associated with a significantly reduced number of proliferating stromal and endothelial cells and a lower expression of the pro-angiogenic signaling molecules vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK) within I3C-treated lesions when compared to controls. These findings indicate that I3C effectively inhibits endometriotic lesion formation in mice. Thus, further studies should clarify whether I3C may be also beneficial for the prevention and therapy of the human disease.
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Chronic Exposure to Vinclozolin Induced Fibrosis, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Oxidative Stress, and Apoptosis in Mice Kidney. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911296. [PMID: 36232596 PMCID: PMC9570110 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Vinclozolin is one of the most used fungicides in the control of fungi in fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants. The effects of its exposure on different organs have been described, but information regarding its relevance to vinclozolin-induced nephrotoxicity is largely missing. This study focuses on the potential mechanism of vinclozolin-induced nephrotoxicity. CD1 male mice were administered vinclozolin (100 mg/kg) by oral gavage for 28 days. Vinclozolin administration decreased body weight over the treatment period and at the end of the experiment, increased the ratio of kidney weight to body weight and increased serum urea nitrogen and creatinine contents. Vinclozolin also induced histopathological alterations, including tubular dilatation and necrosis and impaired the integrity of the renal-tubular architecture and kidney fibrosis. The analyses conducted showed that vinclozolin administration altered the mRNA levels of mitochondrial function-related proteins (SIRT3, SIRT1, PGC-1α, TFAM, NRF1, VDAC-1, and Cyt c) and oxidative stress (increased lipid peroxidation and decreased total antioxidative capacity, catalase, and superoxide dismutase activities, glutathione levels, and glutathione peroxidase activity) in the kidneys. Furthermore, vinclozolin induced toxicity that altered Nrf2 signalling and the related proteins (HO-1 and NQO-1). Vinclozolin administration also affected both the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways, upregulating the expression of proapoptotic factors (Bax, Caspase 3, and FasL) and downregulating antiapoptotic factor (Bcl-2) levels. This study suggests that vinclozolin induced nephrotoxicity by disrupting the transcription of mitochondrial function-related factors, the Nrf2 signalling pathway, and the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways.
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Abo C, Biquard L, Girardet L, Chouzenoux S, Just PA, Chapron C, Vaiman D, Borghese B. Unbiased In Silico Analysis of Gene Expression Pinpoints Circulating miRNAs Targeting KIAA1324, a New Gene Drastically Downregulated in Ovarian Endometriosis. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10092065. [PMID: 36140165 PMCID: PMC9495942 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10092065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To identify circulating miRNAs associated with ovarian endometriosis (OMA), and to analyze candidate genes targeted by these miRNAs. Methods: Putative regulating miRNAs were identified through an original bioinformatics approach. We first queried the miRWalk 2.0 database to collect putative miRNA targets. Then, we matched it to a transcriptomic dataset of OMA. Moving from gene expression in the tissue to possible alterations in the patient plasma, a selection of these miRNAs was quantified by qRT-PCR in plasma samples from 93 patients with isolated OMA and 95 patients surgically checked as free from endometriosis. Then, we characterized the genes regulated by more than one miRNA and validated them by immunohistochemistry and transfection experiments on endometrial cell primary cultures obtained from endometrial biopsies of 10 women with and without endometriosis with miRNA mimics. Stromal and epithelial cells were isolated and cultured separately and gene expression levels were measured by RT-qPCR. Results: Eight miRNAs were identified by bioinformatics analysis. Two of them were overexpressed in plasma from OMA patients: let-7b-5p and miR-92a-3p (p < 0.005). Three miRNAs, let-7b and miR-92a-3p, and miR-93-5p potentially targeted KIAA1324, an estrogen-responsive gene and one of the most downregulated genes in OMA. Transfection experiments with mimics of these two miRNAs showed a strong decrease in KIAA1324 expression, up to 40%. Immunohistochemistry revealed a moderate-to-intense staining for KIAA1324 in the eutopic endometrium and a faint-to-moderate staining in the ectopic endometrium for half of the samples, which is concordant with the transcriptomic data. Discussion and Conclusion: Our results suggested that KIAA1324 might be involved in endometriosis through the downregulating action of two circulating miRNAs. As these miRNAs were found to be overexpressed, their quantification in plasma could provide a tool for an early diagnosis of endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Abo
- U1016 Institut Cochin, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, UMR8104 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75016 Paris, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Louise Biquard
- U1016 Institut Cochin, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, UMR8104 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75016 Paris, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Laura Girardet
- U1016 Institut Cochin, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, UMR8104 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75016 Paris, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Chouzenoux
- U1016 Institut Cochin, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, UMR8104 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75016 Paris, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Pierre-Alexandre Just
- U1016 Institut Cochin, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, UMR8104 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75016 Paris, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris, 75006 Paris, France
- Department of Pathological Anatomy and Cytology, Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris, 75004 Paris, France
| | - Charles Chapron
- U1016 Institut Cochin, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, UMR8104 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75016 Paris, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris, 75006 Paris, France
- Department of Gynecologic Surgery, Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris, 75004 Paris, France
| | - Daniel Vaiman
- U1016 Institut Cochin, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, UMR8104 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75016 Paris, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Bruno Borghese
- U1016 Institut Cochin, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, UMR8104 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75016 Paris, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris, 75006 Paris, France
- Department of Gynecologic Surgery, Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris, 75004 Paris, France
- Correspondence:
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Nayak R, Chattopadhyay T, Mallick B. Identification of potential repurposed drugs for treating endometriosis-associated infertility among women. Chem Biol Interact 2022; 365:110110. [PMID: 35985520 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2022.110110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Endometriosis is the most common gynecological abnormality seen in 10-15% of women of reproductive age, causing infertility in ∼25% of cases, which calls for treatment. Thus, in this study, we have identified miRNAs and genes involved in endometriosis progression, leading to infertility, by performing gene expression analysis followed by pathway analysis and protein-protein networks study. Further, we have predicted repurposed small molecule drugs that will neutralize the regulatory effect of targeting miRNAs that induce sterility in endometriosis. This study predicted two transcription factors, FOXO1, and CREB1, targeted by miRNAs that can be modulated by the repurposed drugs, BRD-K55473186, and methylstat, respectively, for the treatment of infertility due to endometriosis. The former drug seems better and more effective than the other as it showed stronger binding at the active site of FOXO1. These findings provide the rationale for targeting miRNA-regulated transcriptional regulators controlling several biological processes to treat endometriosis and prevent the recurrence of implantation failure or infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rojalin Nayak
- RNAi and Functional Genomics Lab., Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, 769008, Odisha, India
| | - Trisha Chattopadhyay
- RNAi and Functional Genomics Lab., Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, 769008, Odisha, India
| | - Bibekanand Mallick
- RNAi and Functional Genomics Lab., Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, 769008, Odisha, India.
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Chen J, Rao Z, Li Q, Jiang T, Chen Y, Gu X, Miao M, Hu D, Zhou H, Teichmann AT, Yang Y. Synthetic flavokawain analog (E)-1-(2′-hydroxy-4′,6′-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-(3-methoxy-4-(3-morpholinopropoxy)phenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (FK-morph) effectively regresses endometriotic implants in rats. Eur J Pharmacol 2022; 933:175240. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.175240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Zhao M, Zhang M, Yu Q, Fei W, Li T, Zhu L, Yao Y, Zheng C, Zhang X. Hyaluronic Acid-Modified Nanoplatforms as a Vector for Targeted Delivery of Autophagy-Related Gene to the Endometriotic Lesions in Mice. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:918368. [PMID: 35845410 PMCID: PMC9283728 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.918368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This investigation probed endometriosis treatment using targeted nanoparticles (NPs) to modulate autophagic activity. To that end, a novel form of polymer-based NP gene delivery platform consisting of polyethyleneimine (PEI) conjugated to stearic acid (SA) and nucleotides (DNA/siRNAs) and enclosed by hyaluronic acid (HA) was prepared. CD44 is highly upregulated in cystic lesions, and HA–CD44 binding in this specific nanoplatform was used to achieve targeted drug delivery to CD44-expression endometriotic tissues. The expression of autophagy-related genes was modulated to explore the importance of this process in the development of endometriosis. By inducing autophagic activity, we were able to reduce the size of endometriotic cysts and suppress the development of ectopic endometrium. To further confirm the relationship between autophagic activity and this disease in humans and animals, numbers of autophagic vesicles and autophagic protein expression were assessed in lesion tissue samples from patients, revealing there may be consistency between animal and human data. Overall, these data revealed the ability of this (PEI–SA/DNA) HA gene delivery system to regulate autophagic activity and, thereby, aid in the treatment of endometriosis.
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Effect of Neiyi Prescription of QIU on autophagy and angiogenic ability of endometriosis via the PPARγ/NF-κB signaling pathway. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2022; 306:533-545. [DOI: 10.1007/s00404-022-06537-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Donnez J, Cacciottola L. Endometriosis: An Inflammatory Disease That Requires New Therapeutic Options. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031518. [PMID: 35163463 PMCID: PMC8836207 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Donnez
- Société de Recherche pour l’Infertilité (SRI), 143 Avenue Grandchamp, 1150 Brussels, Belgium;
- Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Luciana Cacciottola
- Gynecology Research Unit, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Avenue Mounier 52, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
- Correspondence:
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Lin YK, Li YY, Li Y, Li DJ, Wang XL, Wang L, Yu M, Zhu YZ, Cheng JJ, Du MR. SCM-198 Prevents Endometriosis by Reversing Low Autophagy of Endometrial Stromal Cell via Balancing ERα and PR Signals. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:858176. [PMID: 35784569 PMCID: PMC9245568 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.858176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endometriosis (EMS), an endocrine-related inflammatory disease, is characterized by estrogen and progesterone imbalance in ectopic lesions. However, its pathogenic mechanism has not been fully elucidated. While SCM-198 is the synthetic form of leonurine and has multiple pharmacological activities such as antioxidation and anti-inflammation, it remains unknown whether it could inhibit the progress of EMS by regulating estrogen signaling and inflammation. METHODS The therapeutic effects of SCM-198 on EMS and its potential mechanism were analyzed by establishing EMS mouse models and performing an RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) assay. ELISA was performed to detect estrogen and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) -α concentrations in normal endometrial stromal cells (nESCs) and ectopic endometrial stromal cells (eESCs) with or without SCM-198 treatment. Western blotting, RNA silencing, and plasmid overexpression were used to analyze the relationship between inflammation, endocrine factors, and autophagy and the regulatory activity of SCM-198 on the inflammation-endocrine-autophagy axis. RESULTS Increased estrogen-estrogen receptor (ER) α signaling and decreased progesterone receptor isoform B (PRB) expression synergistically led to a hypo-autophagy state in eESCs, which further inhibited the apoptosis of eESCs. The high expression of TNF-α in eESCs enhanced the antiapoptotic effect mediated by low autophagy through the activation of the aromatase-estrogen-ERα signaling pathway. SCM-198 inhibited the growth of ectopic lesions in EMS mice and promoted the apoptosis of eESCs both in vivo and in vitro. The apoptotic effect of SCM-198 on eESCs was attained by upregulating the autophagy level via the inhibition of the TNF-α-activated aromatase-estrogen-ERα signal and the increase in PRB expression. CONCLUSION Inflammation facilitated the progress of EMS by disrupting the estrogen regulatory axis. SCM-198 inhibited EMS progression by regulating the inflammation-endocrine-autophagy axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Kong Lin
- NHC (National Health Commission) Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China
| | - Yun-Yun Li
- NHC (National Health Commission) Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue Li
- NHC (National Health Commission) Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, Macao SAR, China
| | - Da-Jin Li
- NHC (National Health Commission) Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Lin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, Macao SAR, China
| | - Li Wang
- NHC (National Health Commission) Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Yu
- NHC (National Health Commission) Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi-Zhun Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, Macao SAR, China
- *Correspondence: Mei-Rong Du, ; Jia-Jing Cheng, ; Yi-Zhun Zhu,
| | - Jia-Jing Cheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Mei-Rong Du, ; Jia-Jing Cheng, ; Yi-Zhun Zhu,
| | - Mei-Rong Du
- NHC (National Health Commission) Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, Macao SAR, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Mei-Rong Du, ; Jia-Jing Cheng, ; Yi-Zhun Zhu,
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Kapoor R, Stratopoulou CA, Dolmans MM. Pathogenesis of Endometriosis: New Insights into Prospective Therapies. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:11700. [PMID: 34769130 PMCID: PMC8583778 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis is a female reproductive disorder characterized by growth of uterine cells and tissue in distant sites. Around 2-10% of women experience this condition during reproductive age, 35-50% of whom encounter fertility issues or pain. To date, there are no established methods for its early diagnosis and treatment, other than surgical procedures and scans. It is difficult to identify the disease at its onset, unless symptoms such as infertility and/or pain are present. Determining the mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis is vital, not only to pave the way for early identification, but also for disease management and development of less invasive but successful treatment strategies. Endometriosis is characterized by cell proliferation, propagation, evasion of immunosurveillance, and invasive metastasis. This review reports the underlying mechanisms that are individually or collectively responsible for disease establishment and evolution. Treatment of endometriosis mainly involves hormone therapies, which may be undesirable or have their own repercussions. It is therefore important to devise alternative strategies that are both effective and cause fewer side effects. Use of phytochemicals may be one of them. This review focuses on pharmacological inhibitors that can be therapeutically investigated in terms of their effects on signaling pathways and/or mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radhika Kapoor
- Pôle de Recherche en Gynécologie, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (R.K.); (C.A.S.)
| | - Christina Anna Stratopoulou
- Pôle de Recherche en Gynécologie, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (R.K.); (C.A.S.)
| | - Marie-Madeleine Dolmans
- Pôle de Recherche en Gynécologie, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (R.K.); (C.A.S.)
- Gynecology Department, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
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