Noscapine Acts as a Protease Inhibitor of In Vitro Elastase-Induced Collagen Deposition in Equine Endometrium |
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Authors: | Ana Amaral,Carina Fernandes,Anna Szó stek-Mioduchowska,Maria Rosa Rebordã o,Dariusz Jan Skarzynski,Graç a Ferreira-Dias |
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Affiliation: | 1.CIISA—Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Departamento de Morfologia e Função, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal; (A.A.); (C.F.); (M.R.R.);2.Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Science, 10-748 Olsztyn, Poland; (A.S.-M.); (D.J.S.);3.Polytechnic of Coimbra, Coimbra Agriculture School, Bencanta, 3045-601 Coimbra, Portugal |
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Abstract: | Endometrosis is a reproductive pathology that is responsible for mare infertility. Our recent studies have focused on the involvement of neutrophil extracellular traps enzymes, such as elastase (ELA), in the development of equine endometrosis. Noscapine (NOSC) is an alkaloid derived from poppy opium with anticough, antistroke, anticancer, and antifibrotic properties. The present work investigates the putative inhibitory in vitro effect of NOSC on collagen type I alpha 2 chain (COL1A2) mRNA and COL1 protein relative abundance induced by ELA in endometrial explants of mares in the follicular or mid-luteal phases at 24 or 48 h of treatment. The COL1A2 mRNA was evaluated by qPCR and COL1 protein relative abundance by Western blot. In equine endometrial explants, ELA increased COL 1 expression, while NOSC inhibited it at both estrous cycle phases and treatment times. These findings contribute to the future development of new endometrosis treatment approaches. Noscapine could be a drug capable of preventing collagen synthesis in mare’s endometrium and facilitate the therapeutic approach. |
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Keywords: | equine endometrosis fibrosis elastase noscapine inhibition collagen |
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