Effect of modified cangfu daotan decoction in improving endometrial receptivity in infertility patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect and potential mechanism of Modified Cangfu Daotan Decoction (MCDD) on endometrial receptivity in infertility patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 298 women having normal ovulation who underwent artificial insemination were recruited as the control group, and they received no drug therapy. Another 355 infertility patients with PCOS who received ovarian stimulation therapy were recruited as the treatment group. Then they were further assigned to the treatment group I (195 cases) and the treatment group II (160 cases) according to random digit table. Patients in the treatment group I received clomiphene (CC) + human menopause gonadotropin (HMG) +human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), while those in the treatment group II received CC + HMG + HCG and additionally took modified MCDD. The therapeutic course for all was three menstrual cycles. The pregnancy ratio, the endometrial thickness, and spiral artery pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were measured. Furthermore, the uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) level was tested by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group, the endometrial thickness decreased and PI and RI increased in the treatment group I (all P < 0.05). Compared with the treatment group I , the endometrial thickness increased and PI and RI decreased in the treatment group II (all P < 0.05). Compared with before treatment, HOMA-IR levels were significantly decreased in the treatment group II after treatment (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group before treatment, the HOMA-IR level increased in the treatment group I and the treatment group II before treatment (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group after treatment, the HOMA-IR level increased in the treatment group I (P < 0.05). But there was no statistical difference in the post-treatment HOMA-IR level between the control group and the treatment group II (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the post-treatment UCP2 level was increased in the treatment group II (P < 0.05). After one year follow-up, the pregnancy rate was 16.1% (48/298) in the control group, 23.1% (37/160) in the treatment group I, and 33.8% (66/195) in the treatment group II. Compared with the control group, the pregnancy rate was significantly increased in the treatment group II (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MCDD was found to be capable of increasing the pregnancy rate of infertility patients with PCOS, which might be associated with improving endometrial blood flow and insulin resistance, increasing the UCP2 expression, and finally improving the endometrial receptivity.</p>

Synergy between dendritic cell-based vaccine and anti-CD137 monoclonal antibody in the treatment of mouse renal cell carcinoma

Therapeutic efficacy of dendritic cell-based vaccine for renal cell carcinoma remains limited. In this study, we investigated whether anti-CD137 monoclonal antibody is capable of potentiating anti-tumor effect of dendritic cellbased vaccine. Experimental study. Research laboratory. Balb/c mice [8-10 weeks old]. A renal cell carcinoma model was established by subcutaneous injection of Renca tumor cells into Balb/c mice on day 0. After three days, tumor-bearing mice were treated with Renca tumor lysate-pulsed dendritic cells [i.e., dendritic cell-based vaccine], anti-CD137 monoclonal antibody, or combination of Renca tumor lysate-pulsed dendritic cells with anti-CD137 monoclonal antibody. Mice were killed on day 20 after tumor cell inoculation, and spleens were harvested for analysis of anti-tumor immune responses. The anti-tumor immune responses were analyzed by measuring proliferation and activity of T cells, which have the ability to kill tumor cells. The anti-tumor effect was assessed by measuring tumor size. The combination therapy with Renca tumor lysatepulsed dendritic cells and anti-CD137 antibody significantly increased T-cell proliferation and activity, and significantly inhibited tumor growth, compared with a single treatment with Renca tumor lysate-pulsed dendritic cells or anti-CD137 antibody. These results suggest that combination therapy can enhance anti-tumor effect by increasing T-cell proliferation and activity

Extract from Morindae officinalis against oxidative injury of function to human sperm membrane / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the intervention of Morindae officinalis extract in human sperm membrane, and to study the treatment of male infertility and asthenoospermia by M. officinalis.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>To select sperm with normal physiological function using the Percoll gradient centrifugation for the normal sperm model. Then separating the sperm suspension into the normal, model, and control group (Vitamin C group), and the large, medium and small dose of M. officinalis. The ROS was made from hypoxanthine-xanzine xanzine (HX-XO), and ROS, different concentrations (0.125, 0.25, 0.5 mg x mL(-1) of the extract were hatched with sperm in the oxygen environment, the sperm membrane Lipid peroxide injury were analyzed, and the function of sperm membrane were analyzed by sperm Hypoosmoticswelling (HOS) and compared with the controlled group.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>In the same conditions, all the small, medium and large extracts of M. officinalis (0.125, 0.25, 0.5 g x mL(-1)) improved SOD vitality of sperm suspension, reduced the content of MDA, intervened in the injury of sperm membrane by ROS to some extent and protected some function of sperm membrane. The 0.125 mg x mL(-1) extract had no obvious difference (P > 0.05) with Vitamin C in it, but the (0.25, 0.5 mg x mL(-1)) concentration of the extract is significantly better than control Vitamin-C (P < 0.01, P < 0.001). Furthermore, there was a dependence on the dosage, the large dose (0.5 mg x mL(-1)) of M. officinalis especially protected the function of sperm membrane.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The extract from M. officinalis can significantly intervene in lipin peroxidation in sperm membrane by guarding against oxidation, and protect the structure and function of sperm membrane, that is one of the mechanisms for treating male's infertility and asthenoospermia with M. officinalis.</p>

Protective Effect of Extract from Morindae Officinalis on the Oxidative Injury of Human Sperm Motility / 中国康复理论与实践

@#ObjectiveTo observe the protective effect of extract from Morindae officinalis on the oxidative injury of human sperm motility.MethodsThe sperm specimens were cultivated in vitro, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) was made from hypoxanthine-xanzine xanzine (HX-XO), and sperm specimens were co-incubated with ROS and different dosages of extract and oxygen. The motor parameters were evaluated, the motility were analyzed by the test of capillary tube penetrating, and compared with the control group.ResultsThe sperm function were injured, the motility and penetrating ability decreased evidently under the action of ROS, and with a significant difference compared with the normal group ( P<0.001). The sperm motility and penetrating ability could be improved by all of the small, medium and massive extract compared with vitamin C, especially 0.25 and 0.5 g/ml Morindae officinalis had more evident action in the rate of progressive motility and vitality exponent.ConclusionThe ROS can injury the sperm motility and penetrating ability, the appropriate content of extract from Morindae officinalis can significantly intervene peroxidation in sperm by the ROS, and protect the sperm motility.

Protection of extract from Cuscuta japonica on human sperm acrosome and ultrastructure / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the oxidation damage of active oxygen (ROS) to human sperm acrosome and ultrastructure, and study the function mechanism about Cuscuta japonica treating male's infertility and asthenoospermia.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>By using the Percoll gradient centrifugation, the sperm with normal physiological function were selected for the normal sperm model, and the sperm suspension were divided into the normal group, the model group, the positive control group (Vitamin C group), and the lugh, the median and the low dose gvoups of C. japonica. The ROS made from hypoxanthine-xanzine xanzine(HX-XO) and different content (0.125, 0.25, 0.5 g x mL(-1)) of extract were incubated with sperm in the oxygen environment. The acrosomic integrity rate were calculated and the sperm acrosome and ultrastructure were observed.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The content (0.125, 0.5 g x mL(-1)) of extract had no obvious difference as compared with Vitamin C (0.25 mg x mL(-1)) in protecting the acrosome and ultrastructure, but the content (0.25 mg x mL(-1)) of extract was significantly better than Vit C (P < 0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The suitable content of extract from C. japonica can significantly protect the sperm membrane, the acosomic structure and the mitochondrion function from the damage caused by ROS.</p>