Effect of puerarin on collagen metabolism of fibroblasts in pelvic tissue of women with pelvic organ prolapse

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of puerarin on pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and the underlying mechanisms that regulate the metabolism of human parametrial ligament fibroblasts (HPLFs). HPLFs obtained from the pelvic tissue of patients with (n=10) or without (n=8) POP during hysterectomy were isolated by enzymatic digestion and subsequently identified by immunocytochemistry in a previous study of the authors. Following this, cultured HPLFs were treated with 0.01, 0.10 or 1.00 mmol/l puerarin, followed by detection of proliferation rate by Cell Counting kit-8 assay. Following incubation with puerarin for 48 h, mRNA and protein expression levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9, and collagen (COL)I and III in HPLFs were quantified by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and western blot and gelatin zymography analyses, respectively. MMP-2 and -9 expression levels were increased, whereas expression levels of TIMP-1, and COL I and III were decreased, in patients with POP compared with healthy controls. Following puerarin treatment, the expression levels of TIMP-1, and COL I and III were enhanced, whereas MMP-2 and -9 were inhibited. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated evidence increased degradation of the extracellular matrix in pelvic tissues of patients with POP compared with controls, and the protective effect of puerarin against POP via its anti-degradation effect on collagen. These results provide evidence for puerarin as a novel approach for the treatment of POP.