Tokishakuyakusan, a Kampo medicine, attenuates endometriosis-like lesions and hyperalgesia in murine with endometriosis-like symptoms.

PROBLEM: How are the effects of Tokishakuyakusan (TSS), a traditional Japanese medicine (Kampo) on murine endometriosis model? METHODS: BALB/c mice were used for making the murine endometriosis model. Homogeneous uterus was surgically implanted with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in peritoneal cavity. We administered 2 weeks of TSS (1.0 g/kg) orally. Upon treatment completion, we performed the hot plate test for all mice and collected blood samples before sacrifice. Then, the endometriosis-like lesions and uteri in the abdominal cavity were harvested. Concentrations of several cytokines in sera and cyst fluids were measured using Bio-Plex Suspension Array System. IL-33 localization was determined by immunohistochemistry. Gene expression of inflammatory cytokines in the endometriosis-like lesions or the eutopic endometrium was evaluated by real-time RT-PCR. RESULTS: After 14 days of TSS treatment, the numbers of endometriosis-like cysts and cyst weight were significantly decreased. In TSS-treated mice, the latency against heat stimuli was extended. Inflammatory cytokine concentrations in sera were not changed by TSS treatment. TSS intake decreased IL-33 mRNA expression in endometriosis-like lesions and led to the tendency of attenuation of the elevated IL-33 synthesis in the cyst fluids of lesions. CONCLUSION: These results suggest the TSS ameliorated the hyperalgesia and lesion formation on the LPS-accelerated endometriosis-like model. TSS represents a possible ideal target of novel therapeutics for endometriosis patients with dysmenorrhea.

The effect of supplementation of amino acids and taurine to modified KSOM culture medium on rat embryo development.

The rat is widely used as a laboratory animal for research. In particular, genetically engineered rats are essential for production of animal models of several diseases. Although embryo manipulation techniques are needed to produce them, such technology for rat preimplantation embryos is not as advanced as it is for mouse embryos. One reason is that in vitro culture systems for preimplantation embryos are limited in rats. Therefore, we intended to develop a new culture system for rat preimplantation embryos focusing on supplementation of amino acids as nutrition to the culture media. First, we found that taurine, glycine, glutamate, and alanine were abundant in the oviductal fluid of Wistar rats. The profile of taurine and these three amino acids was unchanged during the estrous cycle and from Days 0 to 3 of pregnancy (Day 0; vaginal plug was confirmed). Second, we assessed the effect of phosphate and phenol red on the development of rat zygotes and confirmed that they caused two-cell block. Third, we examined the effect of changing the medium on zygote development because addition of amino acids into culture medium causes ammonium accumulation, which is detrimental to embryo development. Blastocyst formation was suppressed in cultures with no medium change (P = 0.004; decreased to approximately one-fourth of that with medium change). Fourth, we examined the effect of supplementation of these three amino acids and taurine to modified potassium simplex optimized medium (KSOM). The zygote development rates were increased by the three amino acids and taurine in a concentration-dependent manner at 48, 72, and 96 hours (P = 0.001, 0.005, and 0.009, respectively) in culture. Finally, we confirmed that blastocysts cultured in modified KSOM had the capacity to develop to full term after implantation. These results showed that not only the supply of nutrients but also removal of wastes and toxicants is important for culture of rat preimplantation embryos.