title: Epigallocatechin-3-gallate reduces myometrial infiltration, uterine hyperactivity, and stress levels and alleviates generalized hyperalgesia in mice induced with adenomyosis.
abstract: In an effort to search for novel therapeutics for adenomyosis, we sought to determine whether treatment with epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) would suppress the myometrial infiltration, improve pain behavior, lower stress level, and reduce uterine contractility in a mice model of adenomyosis. Adenomyosis was induced in 28 female ICR mice neonatally dosed with tamoxifen, while another 12 (group C) were dosed with solvent only, which served as a blank control. Starting from 4 weeks after birth, hot plate test was administrated to all mice every 4 weeks. At the 16th week, all mice induced with adenomyosis were randomly divided into 3 groups: low-dose EGCG (5 mg/kg), high-dose EGCG (50 mg/kg), and untreated. Group C received no treatment. After 3 weeks of treatment, the hot plate test was administered again, a blood sample was taken to measure the plasma corticosterone level by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and then all mice were sacrificed. The depth of myometrial infiltration and uterine contractility were also evaluated. We found that the induction of adenomyosis resulted in progressive generalized hyperalgesia, along with elevated amplitude and frequency of uterine contractions as well as elevated plasma corticosterone levels. The EGCG treatment dose dependently suppressed myometrial infiltration, improved generalized hyperalgesia, reduced uterine contractility, and lowered plasma corticosterone levels. These results suggest that induced adenomyosis causes pain and elevates stress levels in mice. Uterine hyperactivity may contribute to dysmenorrhea in women with adenomyosis who might also have elevated stress level due to pain. The EGCG appears to be a promising compound for treating adenomyosis.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The People's Hospital, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yumei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Hongping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xishi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Sun-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D062788:Adenomyosis / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009215:Myometrium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000187:drug effects*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects*; D013629:Tamoxifen; D013997:Time Factors; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D013629:Tamoxifen; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: EGCG; adenomyosis; corticosterone; hyperalgesia; mouse; uterine contractility