Modified Wenjingtang Affects Caspase-8， MMP-9， N-cadherin and E-cadherin in Local Microenvironment of EM Rats with Kidney Deficiency and Blood Stasis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of modified Wenjingtang on endometriosis （EM） rats with kidney deficiency and blood stasis. Method:Healthy non-pregnant female Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats of SPF grade were randomly divided into the blank group and experimental group. After being modeled via soaking in ice water and subcutaneous injection of epinephrine hydrochloride， the ones in the experimental group were further divided into the sham operation group and EM model group， with the former only undergoing laparotomy and the latter further receiving autologous endometrial transplant for triggering EM. The successfully modeled rats with EM due to kidney deficiency and blood stasis were randomized into the positive drug （danazol， 63 mg·kg^-1） group and low- （5 g·kg^-1）， medium- （10 g·kg^-1）， and high-dose （20 g·kg^-1） modified Wenjingtang groups. The corresponding drugs were administered by gavage， once per day， for four weeks. Then the ectopic and eutopic endometrial tissues were stained with hematoxylin-eosin （HE） to observe the histopathological changes. The protein and mRNA expression levels of cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-8 （Caspase-8）， matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， N-cadherin， and E-cadherin were detected by immunohistochemistry （IHC）， Western blotting， and real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， respectively. Result:The IHC and Western blot revealed that the protein expression levels of MMP-9 and N-cadherin in eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissues of the model group were significantly increased as compared with those in the sham operation group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， while the levels of Caspase-8 and E-cadherin was significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the model group， the danazol and low-， medium-， and high-dose modified Wenjingtang groups exhibited obviously down-regulated MMP-9 and N-cadherin protein expression in eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissues （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）， but up-regulated Caspase-8 and E-cadherin （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. Real-time PCR uncovered that the mRNA expression levels of MMP-9 and N-cadherin in eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissues of the model group were significantly elevated as compared with those in the sham operation group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， whereas the levels of Caspase-8 and E-cadherin significantly declined （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The comparison with the eutopic endometrial tissue in the model group showed that the mRNA expression levels of MMP-9 and N-cadherin in the danazol group and high- and medium-dose modified Wenjingtang groups were significantly down-regulated， while those of Caspase-8 and E-cadherin were significantly up-regulated （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:Modified Wenjingtang alleviates the immunosuppression and blocks the angiogenesis in EM rats with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome by regulating the expression of such cytokines as Caspase-8， MMP-9， N-cadherin， and E-cadherin， thus exerting the therapeutic effect against EM. The above-mentioned micro-indicators are potential markers reflecting the disease （EM）， syndrome （kidney deficiency and blood stasis）， and pathological mechanisms （immunosuppression and angiogenesis）.

Effect of Modifide Wenjingtang on JAK2/STAT3 Signal Pathway and Downstream Factors Protein Expression in Endometriosis Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of modified Wenjingtang on endometriosis （EM） rats with kidney deficiency and blood stasis. Method:The 10 from 105 SPF female healthy SD rats were randomly selected as the blank group. The rest constructed the rat model of kidney deficiency and blood stasis by compound factorial method. After the model was successfully established， 10 rats were randomly selected as the sham operation group， with only laparotomy and no intima suture， and the remaining rats were established with EM kidney deficiency and blood stasis type by autologous intimal transplantation. Fifty rats which were randomly selected from 56 successful rats were treated with the modified Wenjingtang （5，10，20 g·kg^-1） and danazol group（63 mg·kg^-1）， 1 time daily ， for 4 weeks. The endometrial tissues of each group were stained with hematoxylin eosin （HE） to observe the histopathology. The levels of inflammatory factors interleukin-10 （IL-10） and interleukin-17 （IL-17） in serum supernatant were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Measuring the length（D₁），width （D₂） and height （D₃） of the heterotopic foci in each group before and after treatment. Then calculating the volume of them. The expression of tyrosine kinase 2（JAK2），transcription factor 3 （STAT3），phosphorylation transcription factor 3 （p-STAT3）， vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， tumor necrosis factor-<italic>α</italic> （TNF-<italic>α</italic>） and thrombospondin-1 （TSP-1） were detected by immunohistochemistry （IHC）. The expression of VEGF，TNF-<italic>α</italic> and TSP-1 was detected by Western blot. Result:Microscopic pathological observation showed that the endometrial glandular cells of the blank group were arranged in order， and the glandular and stromal cells grew well， compared with the blank group， the endometrial structure of the model group was complete， showing a cavity like or annular closed structure， with cyst formation， and the epithelium was cubic or columnar epithelium， most of the epithelial cells had secretion， the stroma was dense， and the matrix showed a little fibrosis There were a few glands and inflammatory cell infiltration. Compared with the blank group， the content of IL-10 in serum of model group was significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and the content of IL-17 was significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， the protein expression of JAK2， STAT3，p-STAT3， VEGF， TNF-<italic>α</italic> in endometrial tissue of model group was significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， and the expression of TSP-1 protein was significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Compared with the model group， the serum IL-10 content of rats in modified Wenjingtang treatment group increased significantly （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， the IL-17 content decreased significantly <italic>（P</italic><0.01）， and the volume of ectopic foci decreased significantly （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. While the level of JAK2，STAT3，p-STAT3，TNF-<italic>α</italic>，VEGF protein in intimal tissue of modified Wenjingtang high and middle dose group decreased significantly （<italic>P</italic><0.05） and the level of TSP-1 protein increased significantly （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Conclusion:Modified Wenjingtang can inhibit the invasion of ectopic foci in EM rats with kidney deficiency and blood stasis， the mechanism may be related to the intervention of immune barrier and block angiogenesis function mediated by JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway activation.