Guizhi Fuling Pills against Intrauterine Adhesion via the TNF/AKT1/NFKBIA Axis in Inflammatory Response
摘要
Intrauterine adhesion (IUA), which impairs endometrial function, lacks effective treatments. Guizhi Fuling Pills (GFPs), a traditional Chinese medicine historically used for gynecological conditions, represent a promising therapeutic candidate.
AimThe present study examined the effects of GFPs and its possible mechanisms against IUA by reducing inflammatory responses.
MethodsNetwork pharmacology and experimental validation were conducted to identify possible targets of GFPs. 100 IUA patients and 100 control patients with benign gynecological diseases were enrolled. The expression of TNF/AKT1/NFKBIA was measured in endometrial tissues of all subjects using RT-qPCR. The levels of inflammatory factors in the patients’ serum before the operation were also measured by ELISA. The anti-inflammatory effects of GFPs were evaluated based on an inflammation cell model.
ResultsAccording to network pharmacology, TNF/AKT1/NFKBIA was identified as one central acting pathway of GFPs. Compared with the controls, the levels of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β) in the serum of IUA patients were higher. Clinical samples indicated that TNF and AKT1 were both expressed at an up-regulated level in the endometrium of IUA patients, while NFKBIA was down-regulated. These expression levels were significantly associated with American Fertility Society (AFS) score. Experiments confirmed that GFPs-containing serum could reverse the LPS-induced inflammatory phenotype of hEECs, inhibit the expression of TNF/AKT1, upregulate NFKBIA, and suppress phosphorylation of AKT/IκBα/p65. GFPs inhibited LPS-induced cell damage, suppressed cell apoptosis, reduced the secretion of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, and attenuated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (restoring E-cadherin, reducing N-cadherin and α-SMA).
ConclusionsGFPs may ameliorate IUA via the TNF/AKT1/NFKBIA axis, offering a promising therapeutic approach for IUA treatment based on traditional Chinese medicine.