Reprogramming of the m6A Epitranscriptome Drives Triptolide-Induced Reproductive Toxicity in HTR-8/SVneo Cells

Triptolide (TPL), the core active component of the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF), possesses a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, immunosuppressive, and anti-tumor activities. However, its clinical application is severely limited by significant reproductive toxicity, the mechanism of which remains poorly understood. Using an integrated analysis of MeRIP-seq and mRNA-seq data, coupled with experimental validation in HTR-8/SVneo cells, we systematically elucidated the molecular mechanism by which TPL induces trophoblast cell injury. Our findings revealed that TPL significantly altered intracellular N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification and gene expression profiles, with 1774 genes displaying hypomethylation concurrent with mRNA upregulation. According to the functional enrichment analysis, these genes showed significant enrichment in several key pathways associated with reproduction, including autophagy, DNA damage response, mitochondrial outer membrane, and positive regulation of apoptotic process. Molecular docking further demonstrated direct and stable binding of TPL to key m6A regulators, leading to specific demethylation of targets including E2F1 and PPP1CC. This study uncovers a novel post-transcriptional mechanism where TPL disrupts m6A modification, thereby perturbing essential trophoblast functions and driving reproductive toxicity.