IGF-1 regulates the growth of fibroblasts and extracellular matrix deposition in pelvic organ prolapse

• Published in: Open medicine (Warsaw, Poland) Poland), 2020-01, Vol.15 (1), p.833-840
• Main Authors: Yin, Yitong, Han, Ying, Shi, Chang, Xia, Zhijun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Fibroblasts; human vaginal fibroblasts; IGF-1; Insulin-like growth factors; Kinases; Pelvic organ prolapse; Vagina
• ISSN: 2391-5463; 2391-5463
• DOI: 10.1515/med-2020-0216

This study was carried out to observe the impact of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) on human vaginal fibroblasts (HVFs) in the context of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and to explore its effects on mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways. First, it was found that IGF-1 expression reduced in the vaginal wall tissues derived from POP compared to that in non-POP cases. Then the role of IGF-1 was explored in HVFs and thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and flow cytometry were used to detect cell viability and cell apoptosis. Western blot assay and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the protein and mRNA expression. The results showed that knockdown of IGF-1 inhibited the cell viability of HVFs, promoted the cell apoptosis of HVFs, and decreased the expression of types I and III collagen in HVFs, which was through inhibiting the expression of IGF-1 receptor and MAPK/NF-κB pathways. However, IGF-1 plasmid had the opposite effects on HVFs. In conclusion, our results showed that IGF-1 could activate MAPK and NF-κB pathways, thereby enhancing collagen metabolism and the growth of vaginal wall fibroblasts then to inhibit POP development.