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 (P0.05). 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.