ABSTRACT
Objective The mechanism of luteal phase defect remains unclear. To investigate the mechanism of BuShen ZhuYun Decoction on the gonadotropin secretion in the pituitary gland, we observed the effects of medicated serum of BuShen ZhuYun Decotion on the secretion of gonadotropin-follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteotropic hormone (LH) in rat pituitary cells.Methods The BuShen ZhuYun Decotion was administered to the female SD rats by gavage to prepare the serum containing BuShen ZhuYun Decoction. The CCK-8 method was used to detect the effect of cetrorelix acetate powder for injection, medicated serum and gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) on cell activity. In the maximum non-toxic concentration, we used cetrorelix acetate powder for injection to block the GnRH receptor (GnRHR) in pituitary cells and established the GnRHR antagonistic model. Then we treat the model group with medicated serum (model group). Moreover, we established the blank group (normal pituitary cells), the cetrorelix group (intervented with cetrorelix for 6 hours), and medicated serum group (intervented with medicated serum for 24 hours). 20nmol/L GnRH was used to stimulate cells for 6h. The contents of FSH and LH in the supernatant of each group and the mRNA expression of FSHβ, LHβ and GnRHR were detected.Results Compared with that of the blank group, the supernatant levels of FSH and LH in the Cetrorelix group decreased significantly \[(3.91±0.36) mIU/mL vs (2.26±0.22) mIU/mL, (8.94±0.57) mIU/mL vs (3.35±0.59) mIU/mL, P<0.05)\]. In contrast, the levels of LH significantly increased \[(8.94±0.57) mIU/mL vs (10.79±0.60) mIU/mL, P<0.05)\]; Compared with the cetrorelix group, the levels of FSH and LH in both medicated serum group and model group increased significantly (P<0.05). Compared with the blank group, the mRNA level of FSH and LH in the cetrorelix group decreased significantly \[(0.95±0.23) mIU/mL vs (0.58±0.12) mIU/mL, (0.98±0.14) mIU/mL vs (0.27±0.21) mIU/mL, P<0.01) \], and the mRNA expression of GnRHR increased in the cetrorelix group \[(0.97±0.13) mIU/mL vs (1.77±0.26) mIU/mL, P<0.01) \]; The mRNA levels of FSH and LH in the medicated serum group were increased (P<0.05). Compared with the cetrorelix group, the mRNA expression of FSHβ mRNA and LHβ were both increased in the medicated serum group and model group (P<0.05), the mRNA expression of GnRHR decreased (P<0.01).Conclusion It is suggested that the therapeutic mechanism of BuShen ZhuYun Decotion may be related to the improvement of GnRH receptor expression.
ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the influence of coal-burning type of fluorosis on hypothalamic-pituitaryovary axis function and to explore possible mechanism in female rats.Methods Sixty SD rats were divided into two groups according to body weight with the method of random number table:control group and fluorosis group,30 rats in each group.Fluorosis group was feed with corn powder baked by high fluorine coal from Zhijin area.Changes of female rats' teeth during fluorine exposure were observed.After feeding for 180 days,24 h urine was collected in estrus and fluorine level was tested using fluoride ion-selective electrode; rats were executed and bone fluorine level was tested with high-temperature ashing-fluorine ion-selective electrode.Femoral artery blood was collected and serum was separated to test the contents of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH),luteinizing hormone (LH),testosterone (T),estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) with electrochemiluminescence radioimmunoassay and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH),inhibin (INH) with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA),respectively.Organs,including hypothalamus,pituitary gland and ovary were weighted,and organ coefficients were calculated.Pathological morphology of hypothalamus,pituitary gland and ovary was observed after staining and ultrastructure of ovary was examined by electron microscopy.Results Coal-burning induced fluorine poisoning rat model was established successfully.There were no significant differences statistically in organ coefficients between fluorosis groups (0.032 ± 0.004,0.014 ± 0.008,0.037 ± 0.009) and controls (0.035 ± 0.005,0.012 ± 0.006,0.035 ± 0.004,t =0.46,0.87,0.64,all P ＞ 0.05).Rats serum GnRH,FSH,LH and T levels [(21.654 ± 4.765),(29.580 ± 5.221),(53.988 ± 6.506),(23.962 ± 2.255)μg/L] of fluorosis groups were all higher than those of controls [(10.384 ±2.250),(19.217 ± 4.743),(30.314 ± 4.443),(7.883 ± 1.973)μg/L,t =6.762,4.646,9.503,16.971,all P ＜ 0.05].But the level of P,INH [(12.635 ± 3.841),(18.926 ± 3.465)μg/L] were all lower than those of controls [(21.045 ±4.768),(48.076 ± 3.525)μg/L,t =4.344,18.649,all P ＜ 0.05].Serum E2 levels of control group and fluorosis group were (35.375 ± 10.662) and (27.500 ± 12.783)μg/L,respectively.The difference between groups was not statistically significant (t =1.821,P ＞ 0.05).No pathological changes were observed in the two groups of female hypothalamus,pituitary tissue by light microscopy and electron microscopy.Under light microscope,in the control group of normal ovarian tissue,more corpus luteum and different developmental stages of follicles were seen,granulosa cells were neatly arranged in a monolayer or multilayer.In fluorosis group,severe edema of ovarian interstitial cells and follicle degeneration increased.Cell structure and cell contours were blurred and unclear with occasional mature follicles.Under transmission electron microscope,in control group,normal ovarian granulosa cell ultrastructure was observed,nuclei were round,nuclear chromatin was uniform distributed,cytoplasm was rich in mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum,and normal morphology.In fluorosis group,granulosa cells and interstitial cells showed apoptotic characters,such as nucleoli disappearing,mitochondrial swelling and chromatin aggregating at the nuclear membrane.Conclusions Fluorosis can induce ovarian tissue apoptosis,severely damage the micro environment.Reduction of P and INH affects ovarian,maturation and ovulation and leads to secretion of GnRH,FSH and LH.Fluorosis caused by coal-burning may induce the injury of ovary and cause abnormal secretion of hypothalamic-pituitary-ovary axis.Fluorosis has affected parts of female axis which may not be in the hypothalamus,pituitary,but causes ovarian tissue damage.