To investigate the potential mechanism of lycopene mediating iron autophagy in improving the inflammatory response in endometriosis (EMs).

Fifty rats were randomly divided into sham group, model group (EMs model was constructed), experiment-L group (10.0 mg·kg^-1 lycopene after modeled), experiment-H group (20.0 mg·kg^-1 lycopene after modeled) and positive group (1.05 mg·kg^-1 mifepristone after modeled), with 10 rats in each group. At the end of drug treatment, the volume of ectopic endometrial tissue were detected, and detected free iron content with a corresponding detection kit. The expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), interleukin (IL) -8, nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B (LC3B) were detected by immunofluorescence, or Western blot.

The volumes of ectopic endometrial lesion tissues in the sham group, the model group, the experiment-L group, the experiment-H group and the positive group of rats were (0.00±0.00), (130.92±12.45), (97.55±10.56), (71.96±6.46), and (54.22±2.72) mm³, respectively; the levels of free iron were (262.89±23.51), (636.97±58.75), (523.63±46.13), (383.30±38.92) and (603.15±69.98) μmol·kg^-1, respectively; the immunofluorescence intensities of VEGFA were (1 034.45±102.39), (3 628.16±104.65), (3 100.73±231.67), (2 193.07±293.16) and (3 418.68±377.98) a.u., respectively; the relative expression levels of IL-8 protein were 0.22±0.05, 0.79±0.10, 0.62±0.10, 0.49±0.06 and 0.71±0.07, respectively; the relative expression levels of NCOA4 protein were 0.33±0.04, 1.12±0.13, 0.85±0.10, 0.61±0.09 and 1.05±0.08, respectively; the relative expression levels of LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ protein were 0.36±0.04, 1.02±0.12, 0.78±0.08, 0.51±0.05 and 0.94±0.07, respectively. Compared the sham operation group with the model group, compared experiment-L and experiment-H groups with the model group, the differences of above indicators were all statistically significant (all P<0.05).

Lycopene significantly inhibits inflammation and angiogenesis in EMs rats, thereby reducing the volume of ectopic lesions, which may be related to the inhibition of iron autophagy signaling.