Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of astilbin on pregnancy outcome in rats with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA).
Methods: A total of 40 pregnant female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: the control, model, astilbin, and prednisone groups. An RSA rat model was established by gavage with hydroxyurea and mifepristone. The number of surviving and reabsorbed embryos was counted on day 9 of gestation in each group. The rat serum was collected to detect the levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expressions of T-bet and GATA-3 in the decidual and placental tissues of the rats were determined by immunohistochemistry.
Results: The absorptivity of embryos was significantly higher in the model group than in the control group. The levels of serum IFN-γ and IL-2 were significantly lower in the astilbin group than in the model group, while the levels of serum IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly higher. Astilbin treatment significantly increased GATA-3 expression, while it significantly reduced T-bet expression and the T-bet/GATA-3 ratio.
Conclusions: Astilbin has a therapeutic effect on RSA in rats by regulating the balance of Th1/Th2 in maternal circulation and likely in decidual tissue.
Keywords: GATA-3; Recurrent spontaneous abortion; T-bet; Th1/Th2 balance; astilbin.