E 2 -mediated EMT by activation of β-catenin/Snail signalling during the development of ovarian endometriosis

• Published in: Journal of cellular and molecular medicine 2019-12, Vol.23 (12), p.8035-8045
• Main Authors: Xiong, Wenqian, Zhang, Ling, Liu, Hengwei, Li, Na, Du, Yu, He, Haitang, Zhang, Zhibing, Liu, Yi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases - metabolism; Adult; beta Catenin - metabolism; Cadherins - metabolism; Catenin; Cell Movement - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; Chocolate; Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; Cysts; Endometriosis; Endometriosis - etiology; Endometriosis - metabolism; Endometrium; Endometrium - cytology; Endometrium - drug effects; Endometrium - metabolism; Epithelial cells; Epithelial Cells - drug effects; Epithelial Cells - metabolism; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition - drug effects; Estradiol - pharmacology; Estradiol - physiology; Estrogens; Estrogens - pharmacology; Female; Gynecology; Humans; Infertility; Menstruation; Mesenchyme; Obstetrics; Ovarian cancer; Ovarian Cysts - metabolism; Pathogenesis; Receptors, Estrogen - antagonists & inhibitors; Reproductive health; RNA, Small Interfering; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Snail Family Transcription Factors - metabolism; Transcription; Transcription factors; Up-Regulation; Womens health
• ISSN: 1582-1838; 1582-4934
• DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.14668

Endometriosis is an oestrogen-dependent disease, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in the process of endometriosis. Whether oestrogen could induce EMT in endometriosis remains largely unknown. Here, we reported that up-regulated expression of EMT markers in ovarian chocolate cyst is accompanied by high expression 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (17β-HSD1), and exposure of primary human endometrial epithelial cells to oestradiol conditions could promote EMT occurrence and activate both β-catenin and Snail signalling. Furthermore, we found nuclear β-catenin and Snail expression was closely linked in ovarian endometriosis, and β-catenin knockdown abrogated oestrogen-induced Snail mediated EMT in vitro. This is due to that β-catenin/ TCF-3 could bind to Snail promoter and activate its transcription. These results suggested that β-catenin signalling functions as the Snail activator and plays a critical role in oestradiol-induced EMT in endometriosis.