Oridonin Ameliorates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Endometritis in Mice via Inhibition of the TLR-4/NF-κBpathway

Abstract

Endometritis is a health threat to both humans and animals and poses a huge economic burden. Oridonin (Ori) is a natural diterpenoid isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Rabdosiarubescens (R. rubescens) and has multiple health-promoting effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor effects. There is little evidence showing that Ori can effectively treat endometritis, and the relevant mechanisms need to be further clarified. In this study, we investigated the effects of Ori on LPS-induced endometritis in vivo. Additionally, we examined the effects of Ori on LPS-stimulated mouse endometrial epithelial cells (mEECs). The results showed that Ori treatment significantly alleviated LPS-induced endometritis and reduced the activity of myeloperoxidase. ELISA and qPCR results indicated that Ori dose-dependently decreased the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 both in tissues and in mEECs. In addition, Ori was found to inhibit LPS-induced TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway activation. These results suggest that Ori effectively attenuates LPS-induced endometritis by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and that Ori might be an effective drug for the prevention and treatment of LPS-induced endometritis.

Keywords: NF-κB; endometritis; inflammatory cytokines; oridonin.