Effect of Dehydrocostus Lactone Isolated from the Roots of Aucklandia lappa on the Apoptosis of Endometriotic Cells and the Alternative Activation of Endometriosis-Associated Macrophages

Jeong-Hwa Woo, Woo JH, Jeong‐Hwa Woo, Ji-Hye Ahn, Ahn JH, Ji‐Hye Ahn, Dae Sik Jang, Jang DS, Jung-Hye Choi, Jung‐Hye Choi
The American journal of Chinese medicine · 2019 · vol. 47(06) , pp. 1289–1305 · doi:10.1142/s0192415x19500666 · PMID:31488032 · W2971971141
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Dehydrocostus lactone from *Aucklandia lappa* roots induced apoptosis in endometriotic cells, decreased pain factors, and inhibited alternative activation of associated macrophages by targeting Akt and NF-κB pathways.

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Abstract

The roots of Aucklandia lappa have been used in traditional medicine in Asia to treat inflammation and diseases associated with pain, including endometriosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-endometriotic effect of dehydrocostus lactone, an active compound in A. lappa roots, using human endometriotic cells and macrophages stimulated by these cells. Dehydrocostus lactone induced apoptotic cell death in 12Z human endometriotic cells. Dehydrocostus lactone stimulated the activation of caspase-3, -8, and -9, while caspase inhibitors significantly reversed the dehydrocostus lactone-induced cell death in 12Z cells. In addition, dehydrocostus lactone decreased the production of PGE2 and neurotrophins (BDNF, NGF, NT3, and NT4/5), which are regarded as endometriosis-associated pain factors in human endometriotic cells. Moreover, dehydrocostus lactone inhibited the expression of M2 markers (CD206, and Trem-2), IL-10, VEGF, and MMP-2/-9 in endometriosis-associated macrophages (EAMs). Furthermore, dehydrocostus lactone inhibited the Akt and NFκB pathways in both endometriotic cells and EAMs. Taken together, our findings suggest that dehydrocostus lactone, an active compound of A, lappa, has anti-endometriotic activities via induction of apoptosis and downregulation of pain factors in endometriotic cells and inhibition of the alternative activation of EAMs.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Apoptosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometrium Lactones Lactones Macrophage Activation Phytotherapy Phytotherapy Plant Roots Saussurea Sesquiterpenes Sesquiterpenes Apoptosis Apoptosis Caspases Caspases Caspases Cell Line Cell Line

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