Moutan Cortex extract inhibited the proliferation and migration of endometrial stromal cells by inhibiting OPN-induced, MAPK-mediated MMP9 activation

Endometriosis is frequent in women of childbearing age with a morbidity rate of approximately 10%. Its clinical features mainly manifest as dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. However, effective treatments are still lacking; hence, it is necessary to identify an effective and safe treatment strategy on endometriosis. Moutan Cortex extract (MCE) was prepared by decoction. Then, cell proliferation and apoptosis in human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) were detected by cell counting kit-8, EdU cell proliferation assay, and flow cytometry. Wound-healing assay and transwell migration assay were performed to explore cell migration or invasion. The expression of indicators of downstream signaling pathways was determined by Western blot analysis or enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay. MCE treatment inhibited cell viability and proliferation in HESCs while promoting cell apoptosis. MCE reduced migration and invasion of HESCs. Furthermore, MCE inhibited osteopontin-induced, mitogen-activated, protein kinase (MAPK)-mediated matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) activation, and upregulation of OPN reversed the effect of MCE on HESCs. In this study, MCE inhibited the proliferation and migration of endometrial stromal cells by inhibiting OPN induced, MAPK-mediated MMP9 activation. MCE might be a novel treatment strategy on endometriosis.