Park Ji Hyun, Lee Seung Kyun, Kim Min Kyoung, Lee Jae Hoon, Yun Bo Hyun, Park Joo Hyun, Seo Seok Kyo, Cho SiHyun, Choi Young Sik
1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Reprod Sci. 2018 Feb;25(2):292-301. doi: 10.1177/1933719117711263. Epub 2017 May 31.
Among the several components in Korean red ginseng, the saponin components are known to have various pharmacologic activities. The objective of this study was to evaluate therapeutic effects of saponin extracts from Korean red ginseng on endometriosis and to identify microRNAs (miRNAs) associated with saponin treatment. This is an in vitro study which used human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) obtained from patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis and other benign conditions. Human endometrial stromal cells were treated with saponin extracts, and microarray profiling was performed. Human endometrial stromal cells were then transfected with miRNAs identified in the profiling. After the saponin extract treatment, the expression of caspase 3 was significantly increased in HESCs. Microarray profiling revealed several miRNAs that were differentially expressed, and miR-21-5p was further validated. Expression of miR-21-5p was significantly upregulated in the endometrium of patients with endometriosis, compared with controls. Transfection of a miR-21-5p inhibitor significantly increased caspase 3 expression in HESCs. The apoptotic potential of saponin extracts and the miR-21-5p inhibitor were further validated in HESCs using flow cytometry analysis. In conclusions, treatment with saponin extracts significantly decreased the expression of miR-21-5p in HESCs from patients with endometriosis. Inhibition of miR-21-5p effectively increased the apoptotic potential of HESCs. These findings suggest that saponin extract treatment may have therapeutic potential for endometriosis via modulation of specific miRNAs.
在高丽参的几种成分中，已知皂苷成分具有多种药理活性。本研究的目的是评估高丽参皂苷提取物对子宫内膜异位症的治疗效果，并鉴定与皂苷治疗相关的微小RNA（miRNA）。这是一项体外研究，使用了从因子宫内膜异位症和其他良性疾病接受腹腔镜手术的患者身上获取的人子宫内膜基质细胞（HESC）。用人子宫内膜基质细胞进行皂苷提取物处理，并进行微阵列分析。然后用在分析中鉴定出的miRNA转染人子宫内膜基质细胞。皂苷提取物处理后，HESC中半胱天冬酶3的表达显著增加。微阵列分析揭示了几种差异表达的miRNA，其中miR-21-5p得到了进一步验证。与对照组相比，子宫内膜异位症患者子宫内膜中miR-21-5p的表达显著上调。转染miR-21-5p抑制剂可显著增加HESC中半胱天冬酶3的表达。使用流式细胞术分析在HESC中进一步验证了皂苷提取物和miR-21-5p抑制剂的凋亡潜力。总之，皂苷提取物处理可显著降低子宫内膜异位症患者HESC中miR-21-5p的表达。抑制miR-21-5p可有效增加HESC的凋亡潜力。这些发现表明，皂苷提取物治疗可能通过调节特定的miRNA对子宫内膜异位症具有治疗潜力。
