Ultrasound Assisted Synthesis of Starch-green Tea Extract Composite and its Therapeutic Effects on Adenomyosis by Following the MAPK/ERK Signaling and Pro-inflammatory Pathways in Mice

A unique starch-green tea extract composite was synthesized following a bio-inspired ‘green’ method under ultrasonication. The polar hydroxyl organofunction over the starch is coordinated with the polyphenolic phytochemicals of green tea extract to form a stable composite hydrogel. The materials were structurally analyzed through several instrumental methods such as FT-IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, SEM, TEM and EDX. Towards biological application, the composite hydrogel was used in controlling the inflammation of adenomyosis in mice. In the in vivo design, tamoxifen was used to induce the experimental adenomyosis model in mice. After treatment, the thymus, spleen, uterine, and body weights of all the animal samples were measured. Western blotting, qRT-PCR, and immuno histochemical (IHC) staining were applied to analyze the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway protein expression in adenomyosis mice. Then, inflammatory factors expression and the myometrial infiltration were determined by qRT-PCR, ELISA, and histology examination in the uterus. The adenomyosis amelioration of starch-green tea extract composite was gained by preventing the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway including decreasing the expressions of protein and mRNA of p-p38/p38, p-JNK/JNK, and p-ERK/ERK in the uterus. The raised levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in adenomyosis model mice uterus and serum were also reduced after starch-green tea extract composite treatment. Starch-green tea extract composite ameliorated the adenomyosis symptoms by raising the thymus and spleen index and decreasing myometrial infiltration.