Fig. 4: p38 MAPK/STAT6 pathway is involved in ferroptosis-induced VEGFA and IL8 upregulation.

A ESCs were incubated with erastin and NAC, and the activation of p38 and STAT6 was examined using western blot. B, C The p38 inhibitor SB203580 (10 µM) was added to erastin-treated ESCs and the activation of p38 was measured using western blot. VEGFA and IL8 expression and secretion were measured using RT-qPCR, western blot (n = 3). D The prediction model of enriched motifs for DNA-binding activators of STAT6 bind both the TSSs of VEGFA and CXCL8 and is validated using luciferase reporter assays. E, F ESCs were transfected with STAT6 siRNAs for 48 h and then incubated with erastin for 12 h. The transfection efficiency and expression of VEGFA and IL8 were detected using RT-qPCR and western blot (n = 3). Comparisons were made using one-way ANOVA (A–F). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001. ns not statistically significant, p38 MAPK/STAT6 p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription 6, ESCs endometrial stromal cells, VEGFA vascular endothelial growth factor A, IL8 interleukin 8, NAC N-acetylcysteine, TSSs transcription start sites, CXCL8 C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8.