ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To explore the effect and mechanism of Chinese medicine Bushen Huatan formula in treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: Twenty-four SPF female C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 3 groups with 8 animals in each group. Control group was given drinking water ad libitum; PCOS was induced by giving letrozole gavage and high-fat diet in model group and treatment group; treatment group received Bushen Huatan formula suspension for 35 d. The sex hormone levels of mice were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Ovary morphology was observed under light microscope after hematoxylin and eosin staining. The feces in the colon of mice were collected, and the gut microbiota was detected by 16S rRNA sequencing. The short chain fatty acids were detected by gas chromatography-mas spectrometry. The expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPARγ) was detected by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expression of mucin-2, occludin-1, tight junction protein zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1) and PPARγ in intestinal epithelium were detected by realtime RT-PCR. The expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and PPARγ was detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the body weight, serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and testosterone in the model group were increased, and serum levels of estradiol were decreased (all P<0.01); the ovarian structure under light microscope was consistent with the characteristics of PCOS. Compared with the model group, the serum levels of sex hormone and ovarian structure in treatment group were improved. The overall structure of gut microbiota in PCOS model mice changed. Compared with control group, there were significantly reduced abundance of Firmicutes, and increased abundance of Verrucomicrobia, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria inthe model group at phylum level (all P<0.05); there were significantly reduced abundance of Lactobacillus, and increased abundance of Akkermansia, Lachnoclostridium, Lactococcus and Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes at genus level (all P<0.05). The disordered condition of gut microbiota was significantly improved in treatment group. Compared with control group, the contents of acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid in feces of model group were significantly decreased (all P<0.05); while the contents of propionic acid and butyric acid in treatment group were significantly increased compared with model control group (both P<0.05). Compared with control group, the mRNA expression of ZO-1 and protein expression of iNOS in model group were significantly increased, and the protein expression of PPARγ and the mRNA expressions of mucin-2 and occludin-1 were significantly decreased (all P<0.05). Compared with model group, the mRNA expression of ZO-1 and protein expression of iNOS in treatment group were decreased, and the protein expression of PPARγ and the mRNA expressions of mucin-2 and occludin-1 were increased. CONCLUSIONS: PCOS induced by letrozole high-fat diet induces microflora imbalance in mice. Chinese medicine Bushen Huatan formula may increase the level of short chain fatty acid by regulating gut microbiota, thereby activating the intestinal PPARγ pathway and improving intestinal barrier function to act as a cure for PCOS.
Subject(s)
Gastrointestinal Microbiome , Polycystic Ovary Syndrome , Humans , Mice , Female , Animals , Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/drug therapy , PPAR gamma/pharmacology , Propionates/pharmacology , Mucin-2 , Letrozole , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S , Medicine, Chinese Traditional , Occludin/pharmacology , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Gonadal Steroid Hormones/pharmacology , Butyrates/pharmacology , RNA, MessengerABSTRACT
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine and metabolic disorder characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation. Previous studies have demonstrated that the gut microbiome can affect the host tissue cells' mRNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications. This study aimed to understand the role of intestinal flora in ovarian cells inflammation by regulating mRNA m6A modification particularly the inflammatory state in PCOS. The gut microbiome composition of PCOS and Control groups was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing, and the short chain fatty acids were detected in patients' serum by mass spectrometry methods. The level of butyric acid was found to be decreased in the serum of the obese PCOS group (FAT) compared to other groups, and this was correlated with increased Streptococcaceae and decreased Rikenellaceae based on the Spearman's rank test. Additionally, we identified FOSL2 as a potential METTL3 target using RNA-seq and MeRIP-seq methodologies. Cellular experiments demonstrated that the addition of butyric acid led to a decrease in FOSL2 m6A methylation levels and mRNA expression by suppressing the expression of METTL3, an m6A methyltransferase. Additionally, NLRP3 protein expression and the expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) were downregulated in KGN cells. Butyric acid supplementation in obese PCOS mice improved ovarian function and decreased the expression of local inflammatory factors in the ovary. Taken together, the correlation between the gut microbiome and PCOS may unveil crucial mechanisms for the role of specific gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Furthermore, butyric acid may present new prospects for future PCOS treatments.
Subject(s)
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome , Humans , Mice , Animals , Female , Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/drug therapy , Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/genetics , Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/metabolism , Butyric Acid/metabolism , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/metabolism , DNA Methylation , Inflammation/drug therapy , Inflammation/genetics , Inflammation/metabolism , Methyltransferases/genetics , Methyltransferases/metabolism , Fatty Acids, Volatile/metabolism , Granulosa Cells , RNA, Messenger/genetics , Obesity/drug therapy , Obesity/genetics , Obesity/metabolism , Fos-Related Antigen-2/genetics , Fos-Related Antigen-2/metabolismABSTRACT
Owing to the prevalence of chronic inflammation and its related disorders, there is a demand for novel therapeutic agents capable of preventing or suppressing inflammation. Natural products (NPs) are well established as an important resource for drug development and provide an almost infinite array of molecular entities. Sulfur-containing NPs (i.e., NPs containing one or more sulfur atoms) are abundant throughout nature, from bacteria to animals. The aim of this review was to survey the emerging evidence on role of sulfur-containing NPs, such as glutathione, garlic-derived sulfur compounds, Epipolythiodioxopiperazines (EPTs), Isothiocyanates (ITCs), and Ergothioneine (EGT), in the control of inflammation and to determine the possible underlying mechanisms. A discussion of how hydrogen sulfide (H2S), an endogenous gaseous signaling molecule, links sulfur-containing NPs and their anti-inflammatory action is also performed. This review may help to further the development of sulfur-based compounds by providing a guide for structure-activity relationship-based modification for use in modern medicinal chemistry. However, as this field is still in its infancy, the review is concluded by an overview of the progression of these promising entities as therapeutic agents.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use , Biological Products/therapeutic use , Gasotransmitters/metabolism , Hydrogen Sulfide/metabolism , Inflammation/drug therapy , Sulfur Compounds/therapeutic use , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/adverse effects , Biological Products/adverse effects , Humans , Inflammation/immunology , Inflammation/metabolism , Signal Transduction , Sulfur Compounds/adverse effectsABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous endocrine disorder. Hyperandrogenism (HA) and insulin resistance (IR) are two important pathogenic factors. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the inherent disturbed metabolic profiles for women with HA or IR in PCOS as well as discover diagnostic biomarkers. METHODS: A total of 286 subjects were recruited for the study. They constituted the following groups: healthy women (C), those with HA (B1), those with IR but not obese (B2) and obese women with IR (B3) in PCOS. Nine cross-comparisons with PCOS were performed to characterize metabolic disturbances. Serum metabolomic profiles were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We found a total of 59 differential metabolites. 28 metabolites for B1 vs C, 32 for B2 vs C and 25 for B3 vs C were discovered. Among them, palmitic acid, cholesterol, myo-inositol, D-allose, 1,5-anhydro-D-sorbitol, 1-monopalmitin, 1-monostearin, glycerol 1-phosphate, malic acid and citric acid, were the common differential metabolites among B1 vs C, B2 vs C and B3 vs C, which related to biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, citrate cycle etc. Besides, 9-biomarker panel can diagnose well between HA and IR in PCOS. They provided areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.8511 to 1.000 in the discovery phase, and predictive values of 90% to 92% in the validation set. The result indicated that the differential metabolites can reflect the underlying mechanism of PCOS and serve as biomarkers for complementary diagnosis of HA and IR in PCOS.
Subject(s)
Hyperandrogenism/metabolism , Insulin Resistance , Metabolomics , Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/metabolism , Adult , Female , Humans , Hyperandrogenism/blood , Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/blood , Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/diagnosisABSTRACT
Diabetic kidney disease develops in approximately 40% of diabetic patients and is a major cause of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) and end stage kidney disease (ESKD) worldwide. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), the third gasotransmitter after nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO), is synthesized in nearly all organs, including the kidney. Though studies on H2S regulation of renal physiology and pathophysiology are still in its infancy, emerging evidence shows that H2S production by renal cells is reduced under disease states and H2S donors ameliorate kidney injury. Specifically, aberrant H2S level is implicated in various renal pathological conditions including diabetic nephropathy. This review presents the roles of H2S in diabetic renal disease and the underlying mechanisms for the protective effects of H2S against diabetic renal damage. H2S may serve as fundamental strategies to treat diabetic kidney disease. These H2S treatment modalities include precursors for H2S synthesis, H2S donors, and natural plant-derived compounds. Despite accumulating evidence from experimental studies suggests the potential role of the H2S signaling pathway in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy, these results need further clinical translation. Expanding understanding of H2S in the kidney may be vital to translate H2S to be a novel therapy for diabetic renal disease.
Subject(s)
Hydrogen Sulfide/metabolism , Animals , Diabetic Nephropathies/drug therapy , Diabetic Nephropathies/etiology , Diabetic Nephropathies/metabolism , Diabetic Nephropathies/pathology , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical , Fibrosis , Humans , Hydrogen Sulfide/chemistry , Hydrogen Sulfide/pharmacology , Hydrogen Sulfide/therapeutic use , Kidney Glomerulus/drug effects , Kidney Glomerulus/metabolism , Kidney Glomerulus/pathology , Metabolic Networks and Pathways/drug effects , Nitric Oxide/metabolism , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Oxygen/metabolism , Podocytes/metabolism , Podocytes/pathology , Renin-Angiotensin SystemABSTRACT
Because of the serious side effects of the currently used bronchodilators, new compounds with similar functions must be developed. We screened several herbs and found that Polygonum aviculare L. contains ingredients that inhibit the precontraction of mouse and human airway smooth muscle (ASM). High K+-induced precontraction in ASM was completely inhibited by nifedipine, a selective blocker of L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (LVDCCs). However, nifedipine only partially reduced the precontraction induced by acetylcholine chloride (ACH). Additionally, the ACH-induced precontraction was partly reduced by pyrazole-3 (Pyr3), a selective blocker of TRPC3 and stromal interaction molecule (STIM)/Orai channels. These channel-mediated currents were inhibited by the compounds present in P. aviculare extracts, suggesting that this inhibition was mediated by LVDCCs, TRPC3 and/or STIM/Orai channels. Moreover, these channel-mediated currents were inhibited by quercetin, which is present in P. aviculare extracts. Furthermore, quercetin inhibited ACH-induced precontraction in ASM. Overall, our data indicate that the ethyl acetate fraction of P. aviculare and quercetin can inhibit Ca2+-permeant LVDCCs, TRPC3 and STIM/Orai channels, which inhibits the precontraction of ASM. These findings suggest that P. aviculare could be used to develop new bronchodilators to treat obstructive lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Subject(s)
Muscle Contraction/drug effects , Muscle, Smooth/drug effects , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Polygonum/chemistry , Quercetin/pharmacology , Acetylcholine/pharmacology , Animals , Calcium/metabolism , Calcium Channels, L-Type/metabolism , Humans , Lung/drug effects , Lung/metabolism , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Muscle, Smooth/metabolism , Nifedipine/pharmacology , TRPC Cation Channels/metabolismABSTRACT
This study was designed to investigate the protective effect of curcumin against d-galactose (d-gal)-induced premature ovarian failure (POF) in mice. A mouse POF model was induced by subcutaneous injection of d-gal (200 mg/kg/day) daily for 42 days. Mice in the curcumin group received both d-gal treatment and intraperitoneal injection of curcumin (100 mg/kg/day) for 42 days. Ovarian function, oxidative stress and apoptosis were evaluated. The P, E2 and SOD levels were higher, and the FSH, LH and MDA levels were significantly lower in the curcumin group than those in the d-gal group. The proportion of primordial follicles was also significantly higher in the curcumin group than that in the d-gal group. In addition, curcumin treatment after d-gal administration resulted in significantly lower Sod2, Cat, 8-OhdG, 4-HNE, NTY and senescence-associated protein P16 expression levels, higher Amh expression levels and less apoptosis in granulosa cells than was observed in the d-gal group. Moreover, the p-Akt, Nrf2 and HO-1 protein expression levels were significantly higher and the apoptosis-related cleaved caspase-3 and -9 protein expression levels were markedly lower in the curcumin group than in the d-gal group. In conclusion, curcumin effectively inhibited d-gal-induced oxidative stress, apoptosis and ovarian injury via a mechanism involving the Nrf2/HO-1 and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways, suggesting that curcumin is a potential protective agent against POF.
Subject(s)
Curcumin/therapeutic use , Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/drug therapy , Protective Agents/therapeutic use , 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine , Aldehydes/metabolism , Animals , Anti-Mullerian Hormone/genetics , Anti-Mullerian Hormone/metabolism , Apoptosis/drug effects , Curcumin/pharmacology , Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16/metabolism , Deoxyguanosine/analogs & derivatives , Deoxyguanosine/metabolism , Disease Models, Animal , Female , Galactose , Gonads/drug effects , Gonads/metabolism , Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/drug effects , Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/metabolism , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Ovary/metabolism , Ovary/pathology , Oxidative Stress , Protective Agents/pharmacology , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Tyrosine/analogs & derivatives , Tyrosine/metabolismABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) on clinical outcomes and the occurrence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in in vitro fertilization and embryo transplantation. METHODS: Totally 109 patients who routinely received in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) at Reproductive Center were assigned to the control group (56 cases) and the EA group (53 cases) according to even and odd-numbered date. Patients in the control group received controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) referring to GnRH-a long protocol. On the basis of COH, those in the EA group received EA from the day of Gn injection to the day of embryo transfer. Estradiol (E2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and angiotensin (AT) II were measured in all patients on the day of hCG injection, the day of ovum pick up (OPU), and the day of embryo transfer (ET), respectively. The oocyte retrieval rate, good quality embryo rate, clinical pregnancy rate, the abortion rate, and the occurrence of OHSS were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, serum E2 levels on the day of OPU and the day of ET were significantly lower in the EA group (P < 0.05). On the day of OPU levels of VEGF and IL-6 also significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Serum levels of VEGF and IL-6 reached the highest line on the day of hCG in the two groups, and then showed a decreasing trend. Compared with the control group at the same time point, serum levels of VEGF and IL-6 obviously decreased on on the day of OPU, hCG, and ET (P < 0.05). The occurrence of OHSS and the canceling rate of transplant cycle were significantly lower in the EA group than in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: EA, as an adjunctive therapy, could reduce the occurrence of OHSS in IVF. Besides, it did not decrease good embryo rates and pregnancy rates in IVF-ET, which might be associated with lowering local vascular permeability of ovaries.