Quercetin modulates key biomarkers and inhibits cell proliferation in endometriosis
- 1Department of Reproductive Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450053, P.R. China
- 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450053, P.R. China
Abstract
Endometriosis is a chronic disorder and the present study investigated the therapeutic potential of quercetin, derived from Paeoniae Radix Alba and Hedysarum multijugum Maxim (BSHQ), by identifying bioactive ingredients and key biomarkers with a focus on their molecular interactions in the context of endometriosis. The present study identified 32 bioactive ingredients from BSHQ, linked to 231 target genes. Gene Expression Omnibus datasets and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis were used to analyze differentially expressed genes and key co-expression modules. In vitro assays, including half-maximal inhibitory concentration, Cell Counting Kit-8 and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assays, assessed the impact of quercetin on cell proliferation in endometriosis cell lines. Molecular docking, cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analyzed the interaction of quercetin with biomarkers. The present study identified 16 BSHQ-related genes. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis showed distinct expression patterns of these genes in various cell types. Molecular docking confirmed strong binding between quercetin and these biomarkers. In vitro assays revealed quercetin markedly inhibited the proliferation of endometriosis cell lines, reducing cell proliferation and serpin family E member 1 (SERPINE1) expression. CETSA showed that quercetin can directly bind to SERPINE1 protein and enhance its thermal stability against temperature-induced degradation, a post-translational effect independent of expression regulation, and SPR analysis further supported the direct interaction between quercetin and SERPINE1. Furthermore, SERPINE1 overexpression rescued the inhibitory effects of quercetin on proliferation, highlighting its critical role in mediating the effects of quercetin in endometriosis. The present study underscored SERPINE1 as a pivotal biomarker in endometriosis and revealed that quercetin effectively modulated key disease mechanisms, offering promising therapeutic potential. These findings provide a solid basis for future research aimed at exploring the role of quercetin in the treatment of endometriosis.
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BibTeX
@article{geng2026quercetin,
title = {{Quercetin modulates key biomarkers and inhibits cell proliferation in endometriosis}},
author = {Xujing Geng and Dan Ren and Xiangxiang Chen and Rongjie Wang and Panpan Zhao and Lijing Wan and Meng Wang and Jie Zhang and Pengfen Li and Dan Zhang and Xiaoqin Lu and Yungai Xiang},
journal = {Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3892/etm.2026.13339},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13728490},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Quercetin modulates key biomarkers and inhibits cell proliferation in endometriosis
AU - Xujing Geng
AU - Dan Ren
AU - Xiangxiang Chen
AU - Rongjie Wang
AU - Panpan Zhao
AU - Lijing Wan
AU - Meng Wang
AU - Jie Zhang
AU - Pengfen Li
AU - Dan Zhang
AU - Xiaoqin Lu
AU - Yungai Xiang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
JO - Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine
DO - 10.3892/etm.2026.13339
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13728490
AB - Endometriosis is a chronic disorder and the present study investigated the therapeutic potential of quercetin, derived from Paeoniae Radix Alba and Hedysarum multijugum Maxim (BSHQ), by identifying bioactive ingredients and key biomarkers with a focus on their molecular interactions in the context of endometriosis. The present study identified 32 bioactive ingredients from BSHQ, linked to 231 target genes. Gene Expression Omnibus datasets and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis were used to analyze differentially expressed genes and key co-expression modules. In vitro assays, including half-maximal inhibitory concentration, Cell Counting Kit-8 and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assays, assessed the impact of quercetin on cell proliferation in endometriosis cell lines. Molecular docking, cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analyzed the interaction of quercetin with biomarkers. The present study identified 16 BSHQ-related genes. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis showed distinct expression patterns of these genes in various cell types. Molecular docking confirmed strong binding between quercetin and these biomarkers. In vitro assays revealed quercetin markedly inhibited the proliferation of endometriosis cell lines, reducing cell proliferation and serpin family E member 1 (SERPINE1) expression. CETSA showed that quercetin can directly bind to SERPINE1 protein and enhance its thermal stability against temperature-induced degradation, a post-translational effect independent of expression regulation, and SPR analysis further supported the direct interaction between quercetin and SERPINE1. Furthermore, SERPINE1 overexpression rescued the inhibitory effects of quercetin on proliferation, highlighting its critical role in mediating the effects of quercetin in endometriosis. The present study underscored SERPINE1 as a pivotal biomarker in endometriosis and revealed that quercetin effectively modulated key disease mechanisms, offering promising therapeutic potential. These findings provide a solid basis for future research aimed at exploring the role of quercetin in the treatment of endometriosis.
SN - 1792-0981
SN - 1792-1015
ER -