Platelets reduce oxidative stress damage in human endometrial stromal cells in vitro

Research question Do platelets exert a protective effect against oxidative stress in human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) in vitro? Design An in vitro oxidative stress model was developed in HESCs by exposing them to varying concentrations (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 μM) of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). The platelets were co-cultured with oxidatively damaged HESCs and the changes in proliferation, apoptosis rate, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, apoptosis-related proteins, PI3K/AKT pathway activation, and inflammatory cytokine profiles were systematically measured via CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, ELISA, and Western blot analyses. Results Platelets intervention significantly reduced apoptosis rate and intracellular ROS accumulation compared to the model group, while it decreased the concentration levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. Similarly, platelets enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and restored the proliferative capacity. Furthermore, exposure to platelets reversed the H 2 O 2 -induced increase in Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax)/B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2) protein ratio and upregulated phosphorylation levels of p-PI3K and p-AKT in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Conclusion These results showed that platelets can mitigate oxidative stress and enhance endometrial resilience, suggesting that they have high potential for clinical management of thin endometrium.