Background: Women with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) or antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) are at high risk for obstetric complications, including recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). However, effective treatments for RPL are lacking.
Objective: This study aimed to reveal the function and underlying mechanism of hyperoside (Hyp) in RPL associated with antiphospholipid antibodies (aCLs).
Methods: The pregnant rats (N = 24) were divided randomly into four groups: normal human-IgG (NH-IgG); aCL-pregnancy loss (aCL-PL); aCL-PL + Hyp (40 mg/kg/day); aCL-PL + low molecular weight heparin (LMWH, 525 μg/kg/day). HTR-8 cells were treated with 80 μg/mL aCL to establish the cell models of miscarriage.
Results: In pregnant rats, aCL-IgG injection raised the abortion rate of embryos, while Hyp treatment inhibited the effects. Additionally, Hyp inhibited the platelet activation and uteroplacental insufficiency caused by aCL. In vivo and in vitro experiments further suggested that Hyp suppressed aCL-induced inflammation and apoptosis by downregulating NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-related factors and decreasing apoptotic rates. After aCL administration, Hyp therapy downregulated the expression of purinergic ligand-gated ion channel 7 (P2X7), which is reported to induce cytokine release and apoptosis. Furthermore, we found that the treatment of 3'-O-(4-Benzoyl) benzoyl-ATP (BzATP, an agonist of the P2X7 receptor) reversed the inhibitory effects of Hyp on cell function.
Conclusions: Hyp exerts protective effects on aCL-induced pregnancy loss by preventing platelet activation-mediated P2X7/NLRP3 pathway. Therefore, Hyp may provide a feasible pharmaceutical strategy for the treatment of RPL.
Keywords: Hyperoside; NLRP3 inflammasome; anticardiolipin antibodies; antiphospholipid syndrome; recurrent pregnancy loss.