Effect of Hua Yu Xiao Zheng decoction on the expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin‑2 in rats with endometriosis

Chen,Zhen‑Zhen; Gong,Xin

doi:10.3892/etm.2017.5280

Effect of Hua Yu Xiao Zheng decoction on the expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin‑2 in rats with endometriosis

Authors:
- Zhen‑Zhen Chen
- Xin Gong
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Affiliations: School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing Key Lab of TCM Collateral Disease Theory Research, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, P.R. China, Department of Gynecology, Dong Fang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, P.R. China
Published online on: October 11, 2017 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2017.5280
Pages: 5743-5750
Copyright: © Chen et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

The aims of the present study were to investigate the effects of a traditional Chinese medicine, Hua Yu Xiao Zheng (HYXZ) decoction, on surgically induced endometriosis in a rat model and to determine the possible underlying regulatory mechanisms. A total of 108 female Sprague‑Dawley rats were divided into the control group (n=12) and endometriosis group (EM group; n=96), in which endometriosis was surgically induced in model rats by autotransplantation of endometrial tissues and 72 rats survived. After 3 weeks, the EM model rats were randomly divided into four subgroups (n=18), including the untreated model group, and three groups administered 7, 14 or 21 g/kg HYXZ decoction. Following 28 days of treatment, the associated proteins and genes of ectopic endometrial tissues were analyzed using immunohistochemistry, western blotting and quantitative polymerase chain reaction to investigate the underlying mechanisms. Compared with the model group, the size of the endometriotic implants decreased significantly in the HYXZ‑treated groups. Furthermore, the expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin‑2 (Ang‑2) were significantly decreased in HYXZ‑treated groups compared with the model group. These results indicate that HYXZ affected the inhibition of angiogenesis and decreased the endometriotic implant volumes and histopathological scores. The effectiveness of HYXZ may be partially attributed to the decrease of VEGF and Ang‑2 expression levels in the ectopic endometrium.

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