| Summary: | Yazhen Xie,1 Jianqiang Qian2 1Department of Gynaecology, Taicang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Taicang, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taicang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Taicang, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yazhen Xie, Department of Gynaecology, Taicang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 140 Renmin South Road, Taicang, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 512 5372 8661, Email xyzmore@163.comObjective: Although Ge-Gen decoction (GGD) has beneficial effects on primary dysmenorrhea (PD), the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Our previous proteomic data revealed decreased level of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) in uterine tissues of rats with PD after GGD treatment. However, the potential role of HSP90 in the anti-PD effect of GGD and the underlying mechanisms remain unexplored. This study investigated the potential role and mechanism of HSP90 in the anti-PD effect of GGD using a PD rat model.Methods: Wistar female rats were used to investigate the potential role of HSP90 in the anti-PD effect of GGD. The rat PD model was established by injecting estradiol benzoate and oxytocin. GGD, Terazosin (an agonist of HSP90) or GGD combined with Terazosin were orally administered to the PD rats. The expression levels of protein and cytokines, including HSP90, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the uterine tissue of rats in each group were detected by immunohistochemical assay or Western blot.Results: GGD ameliorated the writhing response, suppressed the protein levels of HSP90 and inflammation-associated proteins, including NLRP3, NF-κB, and COX-2 in uterine tissues of rats with PD. Terazosin attenuated the anti-PD effect of GGD and reversed the effects of GGD on the protein levels of NLRP3, NF-κB and COX-2 in uterine tissues.Conclusion: GGD exerts an anti-PD effect and suppresses levels of HSP90 and some inflammation associated proteins in uterine tissues of rats.Keywords: primary dysmenorrhea, heat-shock protein 90, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3, nuclear factor kappa B, cyclooxygenase-2
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