Deer (Cervus elaphus) antler extract suppresses adhesion and migration of endometriotic cells and regulates MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression.
BACKGROUND
Deer antler has been used for centuries as medicine for a wide range of health problems, including various women's diseases. However, there is a safety concern related to its use in hormone-sensitive conditions, such as breast cancer and endometriosis. In the present study, we investigated the effect of deer (Cervus elaphus) antler extract (DAE) on adhesion and migration of human endometriotic cells.


METHODS
Adhesion, wound-healing, and transwell migration assays were performed in endometriotic cells 11Z and 12Z. Expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, TNF-α, and IL-6 were measured by real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis.


RESULTS
DAE (50 and 100μg/ml) decreased the adhesion of 11Z and 12Z cells on peritoneal mesothelial Met5-A cells. Wound-healing and transwell migration assays revealed that DAE (50 and 100μg/ml) inhibited migration in 11Z and 12Z cells. It was further demonstrated that treatment with DAE (50 and 100μg/ml) significantly decreased the levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, TNF-α, and IL-6.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that DAE is a potential anti-endometriotic agent to inhibit the adhesion and migration of endometrial cells through the suppression of various related molecules.
Department of Life and Nanopharamceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
Ji-Hyun
JH
Kim
Yeong-In
YI
Yang
Ji-Hye
JH
Ahn
Jong-Gyu
JG
Lee
Kyung-Tae
KT
Lee
Jung-Hye
JH
Choi
D000818:Animals; D000999:Antlers; D001688:Biological Products / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D003670:Deer; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D001688:Biological Products; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9