Abstract
Objective: This study attempted to investigate the effects of quercetin on postoperative fibrosis in the epidural as well as any potentially relevant signaling pathways.Methods: The effect of quercetin on reducing epidural fibrosis was confirmed via histological staining and immunohistochemical analysis in vivo. Accordingly, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence and Eedu staining, TUNEL staining and transmission electron microscopy were used to detect the effects of quercetin on the proliferation and apoptosis of fibroblasts and explore the possible signal transduction pathway.Results: HE staining and Masson staining showed that quercetin could reduce the number of fibroblasts and collagen content. Moreover, LC3 immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that quercetin could induce autophagy, while CCK-8 showed that quercetin inhibited fibroblast viability in a concentration and time-dependent manner. The results of Edu staining, TUNEL staining and Western blot illustrated that quercetin could inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of fibroblasts. Additionally, immunofluorescence showed that quercetin could inhibit the migration of fibroblasts and reduce collagen content. LC3 immunofluorescence staining, Western blot and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that quercetin could induce autophagy. Furthermore, following intervention with autophagy inhibitor 3-MA, quercetin was suggested to affect the proliferation and apoptosis of fibroblasts via autophagy, possibly through the PI3K / Akt / mTOR signaling pathway.Conclusion: Quercetin can regulate fibroblast proliferation, apoptosis, migration and other biological behaviors through autophagy, thereby preventing epidural fibrosis. The specific corresponding pathway may be the PI3K / Akt / mTOR signaling pathway.