1. Department of Gynecology and Pediatrics, the 82nd Group Army Hospital of PLA, Baoding 071000, China; 2. Department of Gynecology and Endocrinology, Shijiazhuang Fourth Hospital, Shijiazhuang 050011,China
Abstract:Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of quercetin on anti-abortion and hormone levels in threatened abortion in rats. Methods Fifty pregnant rats were randomly divided into the normal group,model group,quercetin group,AG490 group and quercetin+AG490 group,with 10 rats in each.The last three groups were given intragastrically 2.5 mg/ml quercetin,0.5 mg/kg AG490 and 2.5 mg/ml quercetin+0.5 mg/kg AG490 respectively once a day for seven consecutive days while the first two groups were given intragastrically an equal amount of normal saline.Eight days after pregnancy, all the rats except the normal group were given mifepristone and misoprostol to establish a model of threatened abortion.Nine days after pregnancy, rats in each group were given intragastrically the original dose for four days.The rats were sacrificed on the 14th day of pregnancy,and the levels of serum hormones and immune factors were detected.The abortion rate,embryo absorption rate and organ coefficient were calculated.HE staining was used to observe the morphological changes of uteri. Results Compared with the model group,the levels of serum estradiol,β-human chorionic gonadotropin, progesterone and IL-10 and the relative expressions of phosphorylated Janus kinase2 and phosphorylated signal transducers and activators of transcription3 in uterine tissues were increased in the quercetin group, the levels of serum interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α were decreased, the weight of ovaries and uteri was increased, the organ coefficient was increased, while the abortion rate and embryo absorption rate were decreased (P<0.05). In the AG490 group, the levels of serum estradiol,β-HCG,progesterone and IL-10, and the relative expressions of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 in uterine tissues were decreased, the levels of serum IFN-γ and TNF-α were increased, the weight of ovaries and uteri was decreased, and the organ coefficient was decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the quercetin group, the levels of serum estradiol,β-HCG,progesterone and IL-10. and the relative expressions of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 protein in uterine tissues decreased, the levels of serum IFN-γand TNF-α increased, the weight of ovaries and uteri decreased, the organ coefficient decreased, and the embryo absorption rate increased in the quercetin+AG490 group (P<0.05).Compared with the AG490 group, the levels of serum estradiol, β-HCG, progesterone and IL-10, and the relative expressions of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 protein in uterine tissues in the quercetin+AG490 group were increased, the levels of serum IFN-γ and TNF-α were decreased, the weight of ovaries and uteri was increased, the organ coefficient was increased, and the embryo absorption rate was decreased(P<0.05). HE staining showed that the endometrium of the model group became thinner, most of the nodules were not dilated, and the glands were atrophic, like the uteri of unpregnant rats. In the quercetin group, endometrial thickening, nodular enlargement, increased numbers of glands, and ameliorated gland atrophy were observed. Compared with the model group, the endometrium of the AG490 group was thinner without nodular enlargement, and the number of glands was reduced accompanied by severe atrophy. The endometrium of the quercetin+AG490 group was thicker than that of the AG490 group, with nodular enlargement, increased numbers of glands and reduced atrophy. Conclusions Quercetin has an anti-abortional effect on threatened abortion in rats by increasing their hormone levels. he mechanism may be related to the regulation of JAK2/STAT3 pathway.
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