Sinomenine Improves Embryo Survival by Regulating Th1/Th2 Balance in a Mouse Model of Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion

Med Sci Monit. 2021 Jan 4:27:e927709. doi: 10.12659/MSM.927709.

Abstract

BACKGROUND This study aims to explore the effect of Sinomenine (SIN) on pregnancy outcomes of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) in a mouse model. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty female CBA/J mice were allocated into 3 groups randomly, then mated with BALB/c mice (CBA/J×BALB/c) as normal-pregnancy group (n=10), or mated with DBA/2 mice (CBA/J×DBA/2) as RSA model (n=10), or CBA/J×DBA/2 mice treated with SIN as RSA+SIN group (n=10). The number of surviving and reabsorbed embryos in each group were counted on day 13.5 of gestation. The mouse serum was collected to determine the levels of interferon-γ (IFN)-γ and IL-4 by ELISA. Immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR and immunoblotting were used to determine the location, mRNA and protein expressions of IFN-γ, IL-4, T-bet and GATA3 in the decidual and placental tissue. RESULTS In the RSA group, the amount of reabsorbed embryo was significantly higher than that in the normal-pregnancy group. However, SIN treatment showed a rescue effect on spontaneous abortion in RSA mice. IFN-γ, IL-4, T-bet, and GATA3 were all expressed in placental tissues and mainly located in the cytoplasm. The RSA group demonstrated higher expression levels of IFN-γ and T-bet than in the RSA+SIN and normal-pregnancy groups. Although RSA and RSA+SIN groups showed lower expression levels of IL-4 and GATA3 than in the normal-pregnancy group, there was no significant difference between RSA and RSA+SIN groups regarding IL-4 and GATA expression levels. CONCLUSIONS SIN treatment demonstrates a therapeutic effect on spontaneous abortion in RSA mice, possibly through regulating the balance of Th1/Th2 in maternal circulation and decidual tissues.

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Spontaneous / blood
  • Abortion, Spontaneous / drug therapy*
  • Abortion, Spontaneous / immunology*
  • Animals
  • Decidua / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Embryo, Mammalian / drug effects
  • Embryo, Mammalian / pathology*
  • Female
  • GATA3 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Interferon-gamma / blood
  • Interleukin-4 / blood
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Morphinans / pharmacology
  • Morphinans / therapeutic use*
  • Placenta / metabolism
  • Pregnancy
  • T-Box Domain Proteins / metabolism
  • Th1-Th2 Balance / drug effects*

Substances

  • GATA3 Transcription Factor
  • Gata3 protein, mouse
  • Morphinans
  • T-Box Domain Proteins
  • T-box transcription factor TBX21
  • Interleukin-4
  • sinomenine
  • Interferon-gamma