Local immune regulatory effects of Bangdeyun on the endometrium of mice with embryo implantation dysfunction during the implantation time

Abstract

This study examined the effects of Bangdeyun on the expressions of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the endometrium of mice with embryo implantation dysfunction (EID) during the implantation time (namely on pregnancy day 5, 6, 7 and 8) and explored the local immune regulatory effects of Bangdeyun. The gestational mice were randomly divided into normal group, model group and Bangdeyun-treated group. EID models of mice were established by using indomethacin. The endometrial expression of NF-kappaB was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. IFN-gamma and IL-10 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that in the normal group, NF-kappaB and IFN-gamma were weakly expressed and IL-10 was strongly expressed in the endometrium during the whole implantation period. In the model group, the expressions of NF-kappaB and IFN-gamma were increased on pregnancy day 5, 6 and 7, and IL-10 expression decreased during the whole implantation time when compared with those in the normal group (P<0.01 for all). In the Bangdeyun-treated group, little amount of NF-kappaB and IFN-gamma was expressed and IL-10 expression was strong, much the way they were expressed in the normal group (P>0.05). The expressions of NF-kappaB and IFN-gamma were much lower in the Bangdeyun-treated group than those in the model group on pregnancy day 5, 6 and 7 (P<0.01 for all), while the expression of IL-10 was much higher than in the model group during the whole implantation time (P<0.01). It was suggested Bangderun may favor a shift from Th1- to Th2-type immune response, therefore inhibiting the maternal immune rejection, inducing the immune tolerance and improving the fetal implantation.