A New Berberine Preparation Protects Pancreatic Islet Cells from Apoptosis Mediated by Inhibition of Phospholipase A2/p38 MAPK Pathway.

We studied an amorphous solid dispersion of berberine with absorption enhancer sodium caprate (Huang-Gui solid dispersion preparations, HGSD). A therapeutic effect of HGSD was revealed in mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus and palmitate-induced injury to MIN6 ß-cells. HGSD treatment (150 mg/kg) improved glucose metabolism and decreased ß-cell apoptosis in diabetic mice. Furthermore, the effective component of HGSD berberine significantly attenuated the palmitate-induced decrease in MIN6 ß-cells viability and insulin secretion. Moreover, molecular docking analysis and Western blotting showed that berberine decreased cell apoptosis and expression of group VIA phospholipase A2 (iPLA2), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), and caspase-3. These data suggest that HGSD treatment protected ß-cells via inhibiting the iPLA2/p38 MAPK pathway.

Effects of crocin on frozen-thawed sperm apoptosis, protamine expression and membrane lipid oxidation in Yanbian yellow cattle.

Glycerol is used as a bovine semen osmotic cryoprotectant that greatly improves the quality of frozen and thawed bovine sperm. However, high glycerol concentrations can have a toxic effect on frozen and thawed bovine sperm. Therefore, this experiment investigated the effect of replacing a portion of the glycerol in a cryoprotectant solution with crocin on the sperm apoptosis, protamine deficiency and membrane lipid oxidation of frozen and thawed Yanbian yellow cattle sperm. The experiment included a control group (6% glycerol) and four treatment groups: I (3% glycerol), II (3% glycerol +0.5 mM crocin), III (3% glycerol + 1 mM crocin) and IV (3% glycerol + 2 mM crocin). Computer assisted semen analysis was used to detect sperm motility, Hoechst 33,342, propidium iodide, and JC-1 staining were used to analyse sperm viability and mitochondrial membrane potential, chromomycin A3 staining was used to detect protamine deficiency and DNA damage, flow cytometry was used for sperm membrane lipid disorder detection and analysis, and real-time quantitative RT-qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of protamine-related genes (PRM2, PRM3), sperm acrosome-associated genes (SPACA3), oxidative stress-related genes (ROMO1) and apoptosis-related genes (BCL2, BAX). Compared to the control group, replacing a portion of glycerol with 1 mM crocin significantly improved sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, membrane lipid disorders (p < .05) and viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, protamine deficiency (p < .01). The expression level of PRM2, PRM3, SPACA3 and BCL2 significantly increased (p < .05), while the expression levels of ROMO1 and BAX significantly decreased (p < .05). Accordingly, the BCL2/BAX ratio significantly increased (p < .05). In summary, the substitution of a portion of glycerol with crocin in cryoprotective solution improved the quality of Yanbian yellow cattle sperm after freezing and thawing.