The negative effects of chronic exposure to isoflurane on spermatogenesis via breaking the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal equilibrium.

This study aims to investigate the negative effects of chronic exposure to isoflurane on spermatogenesis and explore the underlying mechanisms. Sixty male rats were randomly allocated to two groups: control group, receiving no treatment, and anesthesia group, administrated exposure to isoflurane (2 ppm) for 25 consecutive days (1 h/day). The negative effects of chronic exposure to isoflurane were evaluated by analyzing the median eminence GnRH content, the relevant hormone levels, some sperm parameters and the mRNA expressions for some reproduction-related genes. Isoflurane significantly decreased the GnRH content and the serum gonadotrophin levels compared with the control group (p<0.01). Meanwhile, the mRNA expressions of GnRH in hypothalamus, GnRH receptor, luteinizing hormone (LH)-ß and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-ß in pituitary, and LH receptor and FSH receptor in testes were also significantly inhibited (p<0.01). Furthermore, the mRNA expressions of androgen receptor (AR), kisspeptin encoded gene (Kiss-1) and its receptor (GPR54) in hypothalamus were significantly diminished by isoflurane (p<0.01). The results indicated that chronic exposure to isoflurane diminished the synthesis and secretion of GnRH by inhibiting the androgen-AR-Kisspeptin-GPR54 pathway and breaking the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal equilibrium, and therefore it could inhibit spermatogenesis.

Effects of andrographolide on postoperative cognitive dysfunction and the association with NF-κB/MAPK pathway.

The present study investigated the effects of andrographolide on postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in aged rats to gain insight of the underlying mechanism, which may provide theoretical basis for the clinical application of andrographolide to prevent POCD in older patients. Thirty aged male rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups: Control, model and andrographolide groups. The Morris water maze test was used to examine the spatial memory and learning ability of the rats postoperatively. The histological alterations of neuronal cells in the hippocampus were visualized by H&E staining. The serum levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE), human soluble protein-100ß (S-100ß) and the inflammation factors of interluekin (IL)-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α involved in the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway were detected by ELISA. The NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway-associated proteins in rat serum were detected by western blotting. Following andrographolide treatment, the rats significantly gained learning ability after surgery. Is it ameliorated hippocampal neuronal injury in rats following surgery. Andrographolide decreased NSE, S-100ß, and the inflammation factors, IL-6, IL-1ß and TNF-α in serum. Andrographolide reduced NF-κB/MAPK pathway-associated protein expression. Andrographolide ameliorated POCD in aged rats following surgery. The underlying mechanism may be associated with the downregulation the inflammatory factors and NF-κB/MAPK-associated protein expression.