(129) 5,6,7-Trihydroxyflavone regulates inflammation to suppress the progression of endometriosis in vitro and in vivo

Whasun Lim¹; Jisoo Song¹; Wonhyoung Park²; Wooyoung Jeong³; Sunwoo Park⁴

1. Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea

2. Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea

3. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Catholic Kwandong University, Gangneung, Republic of Korea

4. Department of GreenBio Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea

Abstract Text:

Endometriosis is a benign gynecological disease characterized by the abnormal growth of endometrial-like tissues and fragments outside the uterus. Due to lack of alternative non-hormonal therapeutic targets for endometriosis, our focus has been on investigating inflammation regulation. Baicalein is a flavonoid extracted from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis G. that has anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects. However, therapeutic mechanisms of baicalein in patients with endometriosis have yet to be elucidated. In the present study, an autologous transplant mouse model and patient-derived immortalized human ovarian endometriotic stromal cells (ihOESCs) were used to investigate the therapeutic activities of baicalein. Baicalein significantly inhibited endometriosis progression in the autologous transplant mouse models. It reduced proinflammatory cytokine expression in endometriotic lesions and ihOESCs, as well as cytokine levels and T cell proportions in the mouse spleen. In vitro, baicalein enhanced mitochondrial calcium flux, induced mitochondrial depolarization, and promoted reactive oxygen species generation in ihOESCs. Ultimately, it inactivated the MAPK/PI3K signaling pathway and triggered cell death in ihOESCs. Taken together, these findings suggest that baicalein could serve as an alternative or adjunctive therapy for endometriosis, potentially reducing the side effects associated with hormonal treatments.