Edible bird's nest improves hemorheology and immune function in mice with transplanted uterine leiomyomas

To investigate the effect of edible bird's nest (EBN) on tumor growth, hemorheology and immune function of mice with transplanted uterine myomas.

A subcutaneous tumor model of human uterus myoma was established in mice, and the mice were randomly divided into a model group, EBN group, estradiol receptor (ER) group and ER+EBN group. Body weight and tumor volume were measured at 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after the uterus myoma transplantation. Eight weeks after transplantation, the tumor weight was assessed, the morphology of different organs was observed, and the pathological changes of the uterus myoma was observed. Besides, the levels of ER and progesterone receptor (PR), various hemorheological parameters (including hematocrit, plasma viscosity and whole blood viscosity under different shearing conditions), and immune functions (CD₃ ⁺, CD₄ ⁺ and CD₈ ⁺ cells) were also measured. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-2 (IL-2), nitricoxidesynthase (NOS) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in each group.

There were no statistical differences in body weight, tumor weight, tumor volume, uterus myoma pathology or the levels of ER and PR between the model group and EBN group, nor between the ER group and ER+EBN group (all P>0.05). Similarly, no notable morphological differences were observed in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, stomach, intestines and uterus among different groups (all P>0.05). However, in contrast to the model group, the EBN group exhibited significant reductions in hemorheology indicators, the proportion of CD₈ ⁺ cells, as well as the levels of TNF-α, NOS and VEGF (all P<0.05). Conversely, the proportion of CD₃ ⁺ and CD₄ ⁺ cells, the CD₄ ⁺/CD₈ ⁺ ratio and the level of IL-2 in the EBN group were obviously increased (all P<0.05). Compared with the ER group, the proportion of CD₈ ⁺ cells, the levels of TNF-α, NOS and VEGF in the ER+EBN group were significantly decreased while the proportion of CD₃ ⁺ and CD₄ ⁺ cells, the CD₄ ⁺/CD₈ ⁺ ratio and the level of IL-2 in the ER+EBN group were obviously increased.

For mice with uterine myoma transplantation, EBN does not influence tumor growth but significantly regulates hemorheology and enhances immune function.