Using 17β‐estradiol heparin‐poloxamer thermosensitive hydrogel to enhance the endometrial regeneration and functional recovery of intrauterine adhesions in a rat model

• Published in: The FASEB journal 2020-01, Vol.34 (1), p.446-457
• Main Authors: Zhang, Si‐Si, Xu, Xin‐Xin, Xiang, Wei‐Wei, Zhang, Hui‐Heng, Lin, Hui‐Long, Shen, Lai‐En, Lin, Qi, Lin, Feng, Zhou, Zhi‐Yang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 17β‐estradiol; apoptosis; heparin‐poloxamer hydrogel; intrauterine adhesions; kisspeptin; regeneration
• ISSN: 0892-6638; 1530-6860
• DOI: 10.1096/fj.201901603RR

Mechanical damage or infection to the endometrium can lead to the formation of adhesions in the uterine cavity, which may result in reduced reproductive outcome and/or pregnancy complications. The prognosis of this disease is poor due to few effective treatments and the complex environment of endometrium. Heparin‐Poloxamer Hydrogel (HP hydrogel) is a nontoxic and biodegradable biomaterial, which has been commonly used as a sustained‐release delivery system. In this study, we applied a mini‐endometrial curette to scrape the endometrium of rats to mimic the process of curettage in patients. After the establishment of IUA model in rats, we injected the thermo‐sensitive hydrogel(E2‐HP hydrogel) into the injured uterine cavity and evaluated the therapeutic effect of E2‐HP hydrogel on the recovery of IUA. Our results showed that E2‐HP hydrogel can significantly facilitate the regeneration of injured endometrium along with inhibiting the cell apoptosis in IUA model. Furthermore, we revealed that E2‐HP hydrogel on the recovery of IUA was closely associated with the upregulation of kisspeptin through activating the ERK1/2 and MAPKs p38 pathways. In conclusion, E2‐HP hydrogel can effectively transfer E2 into the injured endometrium and it can be considered as a promising therapeutic method for the women with intrauterine adhesions.