Abstract
PurposeEndometriosis is one of the most common, difficult, and complicated gynecological disorders. Vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) has been reported to be aberrantly expressed in patients with endometriosis. However, the exact role and mechanism of VCAM-1 in endometriosis remains unclear.MethodsThe expression of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and VCAM-1 was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Human endometriotic cells were cultured and their responsiveness to TGF-β1 was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine, and transwell migration and invasion assays.ResultsThe levels of TGF-β1 and VCAM-1 mRNA were upregulated in the endometriotic tissues. Knockdown of TGF-β1 in endometriotic cyst stromal cells caused a marked inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Treatment of endometriotic cyst stromal cells with TGF-β1 resulted in an obvious promotion of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and strikingly increased the protein expression of VCAM-1. Silencing of Smad3 abated TGF-β1-stimulated VCAM-1 expression. Furthermore, the promoting effects of TGF-β1 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of endometriotic cyst stromal cells were blocked by silencing of VCAM-1.ConclusionKnockdown of VCAM-1 impedes TGF-β1-mediated proliferation, migration, and invasion of endometrial cells, thereby indicating that VCAM-1 may serve as a therapeutic target for endometriosis.
Highlights
Endometriosis is considered as one of the most common and complicated diseases in gynecology
Our results revealed that knockdown of Vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) impedes TGF-β1-mediated proliferation, migration, and invasion of endometriotic cyst stromal cells, suggesting that VCAM-1 may serve as a promising therapeutic target for endometriosis
TGF-β1 and VCAM-1 mRNA levels are upregulated in human endometriotic tissues Firstly, we determined the mRNA levels of TGF-β1 and VCAM-1 in human endometriotic tissues and normal endometrial tissues using qRT-PCR
Summary
Endometriosis is considered as one of the most common and complicated diseases in gynecology. It affected about 10.8 million women in 2015 [1]. The presence, growth, and invasion of functional endometrial glandular epithelium and stroma outside the uterine cavity are hallmark features of endometriosis [2]. Endometriosis can be divided schematically into the following stages: shedding of cells, cell survival, escape from immune surveillance, adhesion to the peritoneum, angiogenesis, and. Pain medication, hormonal treatment, and surgery are the major therapeutic methods for endometriosis. These treatments can improve symptoms, but cannot cure endometriosis. There is an urgent need to develop novel and effective approaches for endometriosis therapy
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