Mechanism of endometrial MUC2 in reproductive performance in mice through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway after lipopolysaccharide treatment.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of exposure to endotoxin on the reproductive performance of humans and animals in pregnancy and delivery period. Mucin is considered to play a critical role in protecting the tissue epithelium. At pregnancy period, the MUC2 expression of uterus in the High LPS group was significantly higher than that in the Control group. The glycosaminoglycans of gland cells were secreted into the uterine cavity to protect the uterus. Then, the MUC2 layer became thinner, and LPS entered the lamina propria of the uterus. The mRNA expression of tight junction proteins showed a marked drop, and morphological damage of the uterus occurred. Subsequently, the glycosaminoglycans of gland cells in the High LPS and Low LPS groups increased with the increasing LPS dose, and the damage to the endometrial epithelium was repaired in female mice at Day 5 postdelivery. A low dose of LPS activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathways to increase the glycosaminoglycans particles, while a high dose of LPS inhibited the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to decrease the glycosaminoglycans particles. Taken together, our results suggest that gland cells secreted glycosaminoglycans particles into the uterine cavity by exocytosis to increase the thickness of the mucus layer to protect the uterus and that this process was regulated by PI3K/AKT signaling pathways.

Dietary pseudopurpurin effects on bone mineral density and bone geometry architecture in rats.

The objective of our study was to evaluate whether feeding pseudopurpurin affects bone mineral density and bone geometry architecture in rats. Pseudopurpurin was extracted, analyzed and purified using an HLPC-ESI-MS. Rats were given 0% and 0.5% pseudopurpurin powder in their diet. Femurs of rats were examined at 0.5, 1 and 2 months after pseudopurpurin feeding. Compared with rats in the group 0%, the bone mineral density, and the calcium, magnesium, zinc and manganese concentrations in the rats femur in the group 0.5% increased significantly at 1 month and 2 months after pseudopurpurin feeding. Analytical results of micro-computed tomography showed that the group 0.5% displayed an increase in the trabecular volume fraction, trabecular thickness and trabecular number of the distal femur at 1 and 2 months after pseudopurpurin feeding, and the mean thickness, inner perimeter, outer perimeter, and area of the femur diaphysis were significantly increased at 2 months after pseudopurpurin feeding compared with the group 0%. In parallel, the trabecular separation and structure model index of the distal femur were decreased, compared with the group 0% at 1 and 2 months after pseudopurpurin feeding. In the 0.5% and 0% groups, there was no damage to kidney and liver by histopathology analysis. The long-term feeding of pseudopurpurin is safe for rats. The feeding of 0.5% pseudopurpurin which has specific chemical affinities for calcium for bone improvement and level of bone mineral density, enhances the geometry architecture compared with the 0% group.