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This study investigated the mechanism by which oxytocin enhances cellular invasiveness in endometriotic cells, focusing on its interaction with microRNAs miR-34a and miR-145. Using SK-OV-3 and End1/E6E7 cell lines, researchers found that oxytocin dose-dependently increased invasion and migration while downregulating these specific microRNAs, which subsequently led to elevated MMP-2 activity and epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers. The authors note that while the hormonal dysregulation is clear, the precise etiology of endometriosis remains complex and multifactorial. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — specifically examining how oxytocin signaling drives the invasive potential of endometriotic lesions through molecular pathways involving matrix metalloproteinases and microRNA regulation.
Abstract
Background: Endometriosis, a benign gynecological disease causing pain and infertility, rarely culminates into ovarian cancer. While its cause remains unclear, hormonal dysregulation plays a key role. Oxytocin is upregulated in the disease besides altered matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and microRNAs (miRs) that contribute to cellular invasion. Altered levels of miR-34a/miR-145 are reported in endometriosis and a link between oxytocin and miRNAs has also been observed in human myometrium. Hypothesis: Increased oxytocin might be responsible for cellular invasiveness due to reduced levels of miR-34a and miR-145 which is linked to high levels of MMP-2 activity in endometriotic cell lines. Materials and Methods: We used zymography and immunoblotting to assess MMP-2 expression and activity respectively in SK-OV-3 cells treated with mimics or inhibitors of miR-34a/miR-145 in the presence or absence of oxytocin. Invasion, migration, and EMT markers were also evaluated under similar treatments as well as oxytocin alone in SK-OV-3 and End1/E6E7 cells. Results: MMP-2 activity and expression slightly decreased with miR-34a and miR-145 treatment without oxytocin but increased with the addition of oxytocin. Oxytocin dose-dependently enhanced invasion and migration, while miRNA mimics reduced both, which were significantly induced by the addition of oxytocin. Oxytocin also increased n-cadherin and vimentin while reducing e-cadherin in the miRNA mimic group. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that oxytocin induces cellular invasion and migration via downregulating miR-34a and miR-145 during endometriosis progression.
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Oxytocin promotes invasiveness in endometriotic cells via miR-34a and miR-145: Influence of matrix metalloprotease-2
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55184/ijpas.v77i01.487Keywords:
Oxytocin, miR-34a, miR-145, MMP-2, Cellular invasion, Endometriosis.Abstract
Background: Endometriosis, a benign gynecological disease causing pain and infertility, rarely culminates into ovarian cancer. While its cause remains unclear, hormonal dysregulation plays a key role. Oxytocin is upregulated in the disease besides altered matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and microRNAs (miRs) that contribute to cellular invasion. Altered levels of miR-34a/miR-145 are reported in endometriosis and a link between oxytocin and miRNAs has also been observed in human myometrium. Hypothesis: Increased oxytocin might be responsible for cellular invasiveness due to reduced levels of miR-34a and miR-145 which is linked to high levels of MMP-2 activity in endometriotic cell lines. Materials and Methods: We used zymography and immunoblotting to assess MMP-2 expression and activity respectively in SK-OV-3 cells treated with mimics or inhibitors of miR-34a/miR-145 in the presence or absence of oxytocin. Invasion, migration, and EMT markers were also evaluated under similar treatments as well as oxytocin alone in SK-OV-3 and End1/E6E7 cells. Results: MMP-2 activity and expression slightly decreased with miR-34a and miR-145 treatment without oxytocin but increased with the addition of oxytocin. Oxytocin dose-dependently enhanced invasion and migration, while miRNA mimics reduced both, which were significantly induced by the addition of oxytocin. Oxytocin also increased n-cadherin and vimentin while reducing e-cadherin in the miRNA mimic group. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that oxytocin induces cellular invasion and migration via downregulating miR-34a and miR-145 during endometriosis progression.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Yasmin Begum, Snehasikta Swarnakar
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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