title: Wenshen Xiaozheng Tang induces apoptosis and inhibits migration of ectopic endometriotic stromal cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Wenshen Xiaozheng Tang (WXT), a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, exerted a good therapeutic effect on endometriosis. However, the underlying mechanism is unclear. In the present study, we sought to evaluate the effect of WXT on the proliferation and migration of ectopic endometriotic stromal cells and explore the potential molecular mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary stromal cells derived from ectopic endometriotic lesions of patients with endometriosis were isolated and cultured. The inhibition effect of WXT on cell proliferation was determined by MTT. Apoptosis of ectopic endometriotic cells treated with WXT was analyzed with Annexin V-FITC/7-AAD staining. The activation of caspases was detected by western blot analysis. The influence of WXT on migration of ectopic endometriotic cells was measured by scratch wound healing assay and Transwell assay. The DNA binding activity of NF-κB and the expression of nuclear p65 protein were determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and western blot analysis, respectively. The impact of WXT on the expression of NF-κB regulated gene products involved in apoptosis and migration was determined by western blot analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  WXT inhibited the proliferation of ectopic endometriotic cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. In addition, WXT treatment resulted in significant induction of apoptosis through the activation of caspases and inhibition of migration in ectopic endometriotic cells. WXT notably suppressed constitutive NF-κB-DNA-binding activity as well as TNF-α induced nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 subunit in ectopic endometriotic cells. Moreover, WXT diminished the expression of NF-κB regulated gene products involved in apoptosis and migration, including c-IAP1, c-IAP2, XIAP, survivin, Mcl-1, COX-2 and MMP-9.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that WXT induces apoptosis and inhibits migration of ectopic endometriotic stromal cells.
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China; Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China. Electronic address: zhenzhen_0618@163.com.
authors.forename: Zhenzhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China; Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China. Electronic address: chengxiaolan37@126.com.
authors.forename: Xiaolan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China; Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China. Electronic address: guitaoemail@163.com.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gui
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China; Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China. Electronic address: 834531599@qq.com.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China; Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China. Electronic address: huangmeihua@126.com.
authors.forename: Meihua
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China; Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China. Electronic address: zhul@vip.sohu.com.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China; Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China. Electronic address: luomei1974@sina.com.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China; Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China. Electronic address: pcao79@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China; Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, Jiangsu, PR China. Electronic address: wanguiping@263.net.
authors.forename: Guiping
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wan
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D016328:NF-kappa B; C000592912:wenshen xiaozheng tang
keywords: Apoptosis; Asperosaponin VI (71307450); Endometriosis; Isorhamnetin-3-O-neohesperidoside (24204448); Migration; NF-κB; Protocatechuic acid (PubChem CID: 72); Typhaneoside (PubChem CID: 5489389); Wenshen Xiaozheng Tang