FORMONONETIN INHIBITS PROLIFERATION OF ENDOMETRIOSIS VIA DOWN-REGULATION OF P27-PERK-PSTAT3-TWIST1 PATHWAY.

Formononetin is a phytoestrogen known to function as a selective estrogen receptor modulator. We aimed to evaluate the effect of formononetin on proliferation of endometriosis in this study We obtained eutopic endometrium from patients diagnosed endometriosis after surgery. To determine therapeutic dose of formononetin, the concentration in 70% of cells that survived when formononetin was administered was calculated through the CCK8 assay. While increasing the formononetin concentration up to the corresponding concentration, the target protein expression level of the endometriotic endometrium was measured by western blot. Statistical analysis was calculated using SPSS 25, IBM. Significant differences were assessed using Mann-Whitney tests. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant We set the maximum concentration of formononetin administration to 80μM through the CCK8 assay. The expression levels of pAKT, pERK, p27, p53, and BAX proteins were evaluated by western blot by increasing formononetin in steps of 20μM. (N=4) In this experiment, the expression of pERK, twist1 decreased after 20μM, and p27, pSTAT3 decreased depending on the concentration increase. (p<0.05) On the other hand, pAKT, p53, and BAX did not show any significant difference. Formononetin could inhibit proliferation of endometriosis with dose dependent manner in vitro, with downregulation of p27, pERK, pSTAT3, and Twist1.