Dataset Information

SCM-198 Prevents Endometriosis by Reversing Low Autophagy of Endometrial Stromal Cell via Balancing ERα and PR Signals.

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.

SUBMITTER: Lin YK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9245568 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Leonurine, also named SCM-198, which was extracted from Herba leonuri, displayed a protective effect on various cardiovascular and brain diseases, like ischemic stroke. Ischemic stroke which is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, ultimately caused irreversible neuron damage. This study is aimed at exploring the possible therapeutic potential of SCM-198 in the protection against postischemic neuronal injury and possible underlying mechanisms. A transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) rat model was utilized to measure the protective effect of SCM-198 on neurons. TEM was used to determine neuron ultrastructural changes. The brain slices were stained with Nissl staining solution for Nissl bodies. Fluoro-Jade B (FJB) was used for staining the degenerating neurons. In the oxygen-glucose deprivation and re-oxygenation (OGD/R) model of bEnd.3 cells treated with SCM-198 (0.1, 1, 10 μM). Then, the bEnd.3 cells were cocultured with SH-SY5Y cells. Cell viability, MDA level, CAT activity, and apoptosis were examined to evaluate the cytotoxicity of these treatments. Western blot and immunofluorescent assays were used to examine the expression of protein related to the p-STAT3/NOX4/Bcl-2 signaling pathway. Coimmunoprecipitation was performed to determine the interaction between p-STAT3 and NOX4. In the transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) rat model, we found that treatment with SCM-198 could ameliorate neuron morphology and reduce the degenerating cell and neuron loss. In the in vitro model of bEnd.3 cell oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R), treatment with SCM-198 restored the activity of catalase (CAT), improved the expression of Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1), and decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) production. SCM-198 treatment prevented OGD/R-induced cell apoptosis as indicated by increased cell viability and decreased the number of TUNEL-positive cells, accompanied with upregulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl protein and downregulation Bax protein. The results were consistent with SH-SY5Y cells which coculture with bEnd.3 cells. The forthcoming study revealed that SCM-198 activated the p-STAT3/NOX4/Bcl-2 signaling pathway. All the data indicated that SCM-198 protected against oxidative stress and neuronal damage in in vivo and in vitro injury models via the p-STAT3/NOX4/Bcl-2 signaling pathway. Our results suggested that SCM-198 could be the potential drug for neuroprotective effect through stabilizing endothelial cell function.

Project description:BACKGROUND: Neuroinflammation mediated by overactivated microglia plays a key role in many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we investigated for the first time the anti-neuroinflammatory effects and possible mechanisms of SCM-198 (an alkaloid extracted from Herbaleonuri), which was previously found highly cardioprotective, both in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: For in vitro experiments, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or ?-amyloid(1-40) (A?(1-40)) was applied to induce microglial overactivation. Proinflammatory mediators were measured and activations of NF-?B and mitogen-activated protein kinases' (MAPKs) pathways were investigated. Further protective effect of SCM-198 was evaluated in microglia-neuron co-culture assay and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats intrahippocampally-injected with A?(1-40). RESULTS: SCM-198 reduced expressions of nitric oxide (NO), TNF-?, IL-1? and IL-6 possibly via, at least partially, inhibiting c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and NF-?B signaling pathways in microglia. Co-culture assay showed that activated microglia pretreated with SCM-198 led to less neuron loss and decreased phosphorylation of tau and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in neurons. Besides, SCM-198 also directly protected against A?(1-40)-induced neuronal death and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in primary cortical neurons. For in vivo studies, SCM-198 significantly enhanced cognitive performances of rats 12 days after intrahippocampal injections of aged A?(1-40) peptides in the Morris water maze (MWM), accompanied by less hippocampal microglial activation, decreased synaptophysin loss and phosphorylation of ERK and tau. Co-administration of donepezil and SCM-198 resulted in a slight cognitive improvement in SD rats 50 days after intrahippocampal injections of aged A?(1-40) peptides as compared to only donepezil or SCM-198 treated group. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are the first to report that SCM-198 has considerable anti-neuroinflammatory effects on inhibiting microglial overactivation and might become a new potential drug candidate for AD therapy in the future.