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Inflammation is a key player in various pathophysiological processes and diseases, especially throughout the gestational cycle, and inflammation plays an important role in ovulation, embryo implantation, placental formation, and all stages of pregnancy maintenance. However, excessive inflammatory activity can impair endometrial receptivity, which can lead to clinical problems such as infertility, recurrent implantation failure, and recurrent miscarriage, which in turn can negatively impact women's reproductive health and pregnancy outcomes. Studies have shown that about two-thirds of embryo implantation failures are associated with inadequate endometrial receptivity. Therefore, the precise regulation of inflammatory states is of great significance for increasing pregnancy rates and improving pregnancy outcomes.
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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common reproductive endocrine and metabolic disease, and its pathogenesis is closely related to inflammation, insulin resistance, and metabolic disorders. Bilirubin is the final product of the destruction and degradation of senescent red blood cells in the body. In addition, bilirubin can be not only used to evaluate liver function damage and cytotoxicity, but also can anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, alleviate metabolic disorders, etc. Recently, studies have found a certain correlation between low levels of bilirubin and PCOS: the level of bilirubin in patients with PCOS is low, and the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of bilirubin may play a protective role in the pathogenesis of PCOS.
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Inflammation is the basic pathological process of a variety of diseases, which involved in the occurrence and development of female infertility-related diseases, especially in bacteria and viruses infection of reproductive system, resulting in infertility. However, inflammatory reactions and factors also exist in normal physiological processes, such as endometrial morphologic changes in menstrual cycles, follicle genesis, ovulation, luteinization, pregnancy, etc. In addition, inflammation is also involved in the occurrence of some reproductive endocrine and metabolic diseases, such as obesity, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome and so on. In the past, the understanding to inflammation in reproductive system was mostly limited to the inflammatory diseases and resulted in fertility decline or sterility, infertility, and other problems, which was not comprehensive. This review summarized the normal physiological inflammation and disease-related inflammation in the reproductive system, and described the evaluation of inflammatory state, as well as relevant prevention and treatment suggestions.
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Objective: To investigate the effect and the mechanism of Astragalus membranaceus (Huangqi in Chinese, HQ) extract on the intestinal absorption of six alkaloids of Aconitum carmichaelii (Fuzi in Chinese, FZ) in rats with spleen deficiency and provide novel insights into the application of HQ on modulating intestinal barrier. Methods: Four-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with Xiaochengqi Decoction to induce the spleen deficiency model for 40 d. Single-pass intestinal perfusion model were used to study the effects of HQ extract on the absorption of alkaloids. Protein expression and mRNA levels of MRP2 and BCRP and tight junction proteins (TJ, including Claudin-1, Occludin and ZO-1) were measured using Western blot and real-time PCR, respectively. The location and expression of TJ protein was also investigated by the immunofluorescence method. Results: Compared with the normal group, the protein expression of MRP2, BCRP and TJ proteins in the model group were significantly down-regulated. After oral administration of HQ, the alkaloid absorption in intestinal villi was inhibited, MRP2, BCRP and TJ proteins were up-regulated, the green fluorescence staining of Claudin-1, Occludin, and ZO-1 was enhanced, and a thick layer of mucus was deposited on the surface of the epithelium of the intestinal cavity. Conclusion: HQ as an intestinal barrier modulator improves the physiological changes of the intestinal environment of spleen deficiency to reduce the absorption of toxic components, leading to a decrease in the absorption of drug-like molecules.
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Objective To investigate any protective effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) and pioglitazone on chondrocytes in osteoarthritic patients using the pathway from peroxisome proliferator-activated γreceptor (PPARγ) to nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) to inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS).Methods Normal chondrocytes of 24 healthy adult New Zealand white rabbits were extracted and divided into a normal group,a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group,a LIPUS group (LPS+LIPUS) and a pioglitazone group (LPS+pioglitazone),each of 6 using a random number table.Each group was given the intervention their names implies.The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α),leptin (LEP) and nitric oxide (NO) in the chondrocytes were detected using enzyme-linked immune sorbent assays.The expression of type Ⅱ collagen (COL2) in the chondrocytes of each groups was detected using immunocytochemistry and fluorescent staining.The mRNA and protein expressions of PPARγ,NF-κB and iNOS were detected using reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions and western blotting respectively.Results Compared with the LPS group,the average level of TNF-α,LEP and NO in the LIPUS and pioglitazone groups was significantly lower,with the levels in the pioglitazone group significantly lower than in the LIPUS group.Compared with the LPS group,COL2 expression in the LIPUS group was significantly greater.The mRNA and protein expressions of PPARγ in the chondrocytes in the LIPUS and pioglitazone groups were significantly higher than those in the LPS group.Compared with the LPS group,the mRNA and protein expressions of NF-κB and iNOS in the pioglitazone and LIPUS groups were significantly lower,with the pioglitazone group's levels significantly below those of the LIPUS group.Conclusion LIPUS and pioglitazone may promote anti-inflammatory action and COL2 synthesis in chondrocytes through the PPARγ/ NF-κB/iNOS pathway and play a protective role,at least in rabbits.
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Objective To evaluate the efficacy of telephone follow-up on glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus. Methods Randomized clinical trials that assessed the effectiveness of telephone follow-up in patients with diabetes mellitus were selected in the databases of Cochrane library, JBI, PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, EBSCO, OVID, Springer, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Biomedical Literature Database, VIP , Wangfang Data. At the same time manual retrieval of relevant professional information to collect randomized clinical trials that met the inclusion criteria. The searching time was from database establishment to June 2016. RevMan5.2 software was used to analyze the data after quality assessment. Results A total of 12 randomized controlled trials were included in a total of 1905 patients. Meta-analyses showed that, compared with the conventional nursing group, the telephone follow-up could significantly reduce the level of glycosylated hemoglobin (weighted mean difference was-0.49, 95% confidence interval was-0.52--0.46, P<0.01), the level of fasting blood glucose (weighted mean difference was-0.99, 95% confidence interval was-1.16--0.83, P<0.01). Conclusions Telephone follow-up can improve blood glucose control in patients with diabetes, it is worth to be popularized in clinical practice.
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Objective To observe the effect of low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on chondrocytes co-cultured with infrapatellar fat pads.Methods Twenty-four infrapatellar fat pads and cartilages from female knee trauma patients aged between 25 and 35 were cut and stained using hematoxylin-eosin staining.Chondrocytes were isolated from part of the integrated surface of the cartilages to be cultured in vitro.They were then randomly divided into a normal chondrocyte group (the control group),a normal chondrocyte+FCM (fat conditioned medium) group (the model group),a normal chondrocyte+ FCM + LIP US group (the treatment group),and a normal chondrocyte+ FCM + LIPUS + GRGDSP (an integrin inhibitor) group (the inhibited group).The treatment group and inhibited group received LIPUS at 40 mW/cm2 for 20 min once a day,while the other groups received sham LIPUS treatment.Five days later,the cells were collected and western blotting was used to examine the expression of type Ⅱ collagen (COL2),aggrecan (Acan),matrixmetalloproteinase (MMP)-13,integrin β1,phosphorylation-focal adhesion kinase (p-FAK) and phosphorylation p38 (p-p38).Results Western blotting showed that compared with the control group,the expression of COL2 and Acan was significantly lower in the model group,but that of MMP-13,integrin β1,p-FAK and p-p38 was significantly higher.As compared with the model group,the expression of COL2,Acan,integrin β1 and p-FAK was significantly higher,and that of MMP-13 and p-p38 was significantly lower in the treatment group.The expression of COL2,Acan,MMP-13,integrin β1,p-FAK and p-p38 showed no significant difference between the inhibited and model groups,but that of COL2,Acan,MMP-13,integrin β1,p-FAK and p-p38 was significantly different between the control and treatment groups.Conclusions LIPUS provides a protective effect on chondrocytes through inhibiting the expression of MMP-13 induced by adipokines and the degradation of COL2 and Acan through activating the integrin-FAK-p38 MAPK pathway.
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Objective To observe any effect of low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on the expression of integrin-focal adhesion kinase (FAK)-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) mechanochemical transduction pathway-related proteins in the chondrocytes of rabbits with knee osteoarthritis (OA).Methods Of the 18 New Zealand white rabbits selected for the study,twelve received knee anterior cruciate ligament transection to model OA.The remaining 6 rabbits served as normal controls.At the 4th week after modeling the rabbits were sacrificed and chondrocytes were isolated and cultured in vitro.All the cultured cells were randomly divided into three groups:a normal control group (NC),an OA model group (OA) and an OA model plus LIPUS group (OA + LIPUS).When the cells had been cultured to the 2nd passage,the NC group and OA group cells had received no treatment.The OA + LIPUS group cells were exposed to 40 mW/cm2 of LIPUS for 20 min,once a day for 6 days.The expression of collagen protein type Ⅱ,aggrecan,MMP-13,integrin β1 p-FAK and p-p38,p-ERK1/2 and p-JNK Mapks were detected by Western blotting.Results Compared with the NC group,the expression of collagen type Ⅱ and aggrecan was significantly lower in the OA and OA + LIPUS groups,with more significantly lower expression of collagen type Ⅱ and aggrecan in the OA group than in the OA + LIPUS group.Compared with the NC group,the expression of MMP-13 was significantly higher in the OA and OA + LIPUS groups,with a significantly larger increase in the OA group.Compared with the NC group,the expression of integrin β1 and p-FAK was also significantly higher in the OA and OA + LIPUS groups,with a significantly larger increase in the OA + LIPUS group.Compared with the NC group,the expression of p-p38,p-ERK1/2 and p-JNK was also significantly higher in the OA group,but compared with the OA group,the expression of those kinases was,on average,significantly lower in the OA + LIPUS group.Conclusions LIPUS can inhibit the degradation of collagen type Ⅱ and aggrecan,and inhibit the expression of MMP-13,p-p38,p-ERK1/2 and p-JNK in OA chondrocytes,at least in vitro.At the same time,LIPUS can increase the expression of integrin β1 and p-FAK.The results show that LIPUS may activate an integrin-FAK-MAPK mechanochemical transduction pathway to induce changes in the extracellular matrix of chondrocytes.
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Objectives To explore the effects of budesonide (BUD) on airway remodeling and the levels of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and its expression in lung tissue of asthmatic rats. To provide a theoretical basis for the intervention and treatment of asthma. Methods Sixty healthy adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group, asthma model group and BUD treated group, 20 rats in each group. A rat asthma model was established by ovalbumin (OVA) challenging. BUD treated group was treated with inhaled BUD 1 mg/kg in 30 min per serving every other day for two weeks. After OVA challenge finished, the rats were anesthetized and sacrificed for BALF and lung tissue collection. The level of TGF-β1 in BALF was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. TGF-β1 expression and collagen deposition in the lung tissue were tested with immunohistochemical determination and Masson stain respectively. The computer image analysis system was used for measuring respiratory bronchiole smooth muscle thickness (μm) and the extent of epithelial damage score and other indicators of airway remodeling. Results Compared with that in the control group, TGF-β1 in BALF and lung tissue of asthma model group increased and were correlated significantly with the indicators of airway remodeling (P < 0.01) ;while that of BUD treated group reduced statistically significant than model group (P < 0.05). Pathology examination on asthma rat airway epithelial tissue showed the thickness of airway smooth muscle, the airway deposition of collagen in BUD treated group reduced obviously than asthma model group. Conclusions The expression of TGF-β1 in the rat asthma airway worsens the airway remodeling. The effects of BUD on ameliorating the progression of airway remodeling may be partially made by reducing the expression of TGF-β1. (J Clin Pediatr,2010,28(2):173-177)