Jinfeng pills ameliorate premature ovarian insufficiency induced by cyclophosphamide in rats and correlate to modulating IL-17A/IL-6 axis and MEK/ERK signals.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Jinfeng Pill (JFP) is a classical Chinese medicine formula and composed of 9 herbs, including Epimedium brevicornu Maxim (Yinyanghuo), Cervus elaphus Linnaeus (Lurong), Panax ginseng C.A.Mey. (Renshen), Equus asinus (EJiao), Ligustrum lucidum W.T.Aiton (Nvzhenzi), Reynoutria multiflora (Thunb.) Moldenke (Heshouwu), Curculigo orchioides Gaertn (Xianmao), Neolitsea cassia (L.) Kosterm. (Rougui) and Leonurus japonicus Houtt. (Yimucao). The formula is clinically used to regulate menstrual cycle and alleviate polycystic ovarian syndrome due to its capabilities of ovulation induction. It is therefore presumed that JFP could be used for the therapy of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) but the assumed efficacy has not been fully substantiated in experiment. AIM OF STUDY: To evaluate the effectiveness of JFP on cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced POI and preliminarily explore its potential mechanisms of action. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An experimental rat model of POI was established by using CTX induction to assess the efficacy of JFP. The potential targets of action for JFP alleviating POI were predicted by the combination of network pharmacology and transcriptomics and finally validating by RT-qPCR and Western blot. RESULTS: JFP alleviated the damages of ovarian tissue induced by CTX in the rat model of POI via significantly decreasing serum levels of FSH and LH and the ratio of FSH/LH and increasing the levels of E2 and AMH, accompanied with promoting ovarian folliculogenesis and follicle maturity and reversing the depletion of follicle pool. With the analysis of network pharmacology, pathways in cancer, proteoglycans in cancer, PI3K-AKT, TNF and FoxO signaling pathways were predicted to be influenced by JFP. The results of RNA-seq further revealed that IL-17 signaling pathway was the most important pathway regulated by both CTX and JFP, following by transcriptional misregulation in cancer and proteoglycans in cancer. Combining the two analytical methods, JFP likely targeted genes associated with immune regulation, including COX-2, HSP90AA1, FOS, MMP3 and MAPK11 and pathways, including IL-17,Th17 cell differentiation and TNF signaling pathway. Finally, JFP was validated to regulate the mRNA expression of FOS, FOSB, FOSL1, MMP3, MMP13 and COX-2 and decrease the release of IL-17A and the protein expression of IL-6 and suppress the phosphorylation of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 in CTX induced POI rats. CONCLUSION: Jinfeng Pill is effective to ameliorate the symptoms of POI induced by CTX in the model of rats and its action is likely associated with suppressing IL-17A/IL-6 axis and the activity of MEK1/2-ERK1/2 signaling.

Metformin Enhances Nomegestrol Acetate Suppressing Growth of Endometrial Cancer Cells and May Correlate to Downregulating mTOR Activity In Vitro and In Vivo.

This study investigated the effect of a novel progestin and its combination with metformin on the growth of endometrial cancer (EC) cells. Inhibitory effects of four progestins, including nomegestrol acetate (NOMAC), medroxyprogesterone acetate, levonorgestrel, and cyproterone acetate, were evaluated in RL95-2, HEC-1A, and KLE cells using cell counting kit-8 assay. Flow cytometry was performed to detect cell cycle and apoptosis. The activity of Akt (protein kinase B), mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) and its downstream substrates 4EBP1 (4E-binding protein 1) and eIF4G (Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4G) were assayed by Western blotting. Nude mice were used to assess antitumor effects in vivo. NOMAC inhibited the growth of RL95-2 and HEC-1A cells, accompanied by arresting the cell cycle at G0/G1 phase, inducing apoptosis, and markedly down-regulating the level of phosphorylated mTOR/4EBP1/eIF4G in both cell lines (p < 0.05). Metformin significantly increased the inhibitory effect of and apoptosis induced by NOMAC and strengthened the depressive effect of NOMAC on activity of mTOR and its downstream substrates, compared to their treatment alone (p < 0.05). In xenograft tumor tissues, metformin (100 mg/kg) enhanced the suppressive effect of NOMAC (100 mg/kg) on mTOR signaling and increased the average concentration of NOMAC by nearly 1.6 times compared to NOMAC treatment alone. Taken together, NOMAC suppressing the growth of EC cells likely correlates to down-regulating the activity of the mTOR pathway and metformin could strengthen this effect. Our findings open a new window for the selection of progestins in hormone therapy of EC.

Nomegestrol Acetate Suppresses Human Endometrial Cancer RL95-2 Cells Proliferation In Vitro and In Vivo Possibly Related to Upregulating Expression of SUFU and Wnt7a.

Nomegestrol acetate (NOMAC) has been successfully used for the treatment of some gynecological disorders, and as a combined oral contraceptive with approval in many countries. In this study, we investigated the effects of NOMAC on human endometrial cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The proliferation of human endometrial cancer cells (RL95-2 and KLE) were assessed using CCK-8 and EdU incorporation assays. Whole-genome cDNA microarray analysis was used to identify the effects of NOMAC on gene expression profiles in RL95-2 cells. RL95-2 xenograft nude mice were treated with NOMAC (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) or medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA; 100 and 200 mg/kg) for 28 consecutive days. The results showed that NOMAC significantly inhibited the growth of RL95-2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, but not in KLE cells. Further investigation demonstrated that NOMAC produced a stronger inhibition of tumor growth (inhibition rates for 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg NOMAC were 24.74%, 47.04%, and 58.06%, respectively) than did MPA (inhibition rates for 100 and 200 mg/kg MPA were 41.06% and 27.01%, respectively) in the nude mice bearing the cell line of RL95-2. NOMAC altered the expression of several genes related to cancer cell proliferation, including SUFU and Wnt7a. The upregulation of SUFU and Wnt7a was confirmed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting in RL95-2 cells and RL95-2 xenograft tumor tissues, but not in KLE cells. These data indicate that NOMAC can inhibit the proliferation of RL95-2 cell in vitro and suppress the growth of xenografts in the nude mice bearing the cell line of RL95-2 in vivo. This effect could be related to the upregulating expression of SUFU and Wnt7a.

Identification of New Epididymal Luminal Fluid Proteins Involved in Sperm Maturation in Infertile Rats Treated by Dutasteride Using iTRAQ.

BACKGROUND: Spermatozoa become mature and acquire fertilizing capacity during their passage through the epididymal lumen. In this study, we identified new epididymal luminal fluid proteins involved in sperm maturation in infertile rats by dutasteride, a dual 5α-reductase inhibitor, in order to provide potential epididymal targets for new contraceptives and infertility treatment. METHODS: Male rats were treated with dutasteride for 28 consecutive days. We observed the protein expression profiles in the epididymal luminal fluids in infertile and normal rats using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) technique. The confidence of proteome data was validated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: 1045 proteins were tested, and 23 of them presented different expression profiling in the infertile and normal rats. The seven proteins were down-regulated, and 16 proteins were up-regulated. Among the seven proteins which were significantly down-regulated by dutasteride in the epididymal luminal fluids, there were three ß-defensins (Defb2, Defb18 and Defb39), which maybe the key proteins involved in epididymal sperm maturation and male fertility. CONCLUSIONS: We report for the first time that dutasteride influences the protein expression profiling in the epididymal luminal fluids of rats, and this result provides some new epididymal targets for male contraception and infertility therapy.

[Inhibitory effect of dutasteride on the expressions of epididymal Claudin1 and ß-catenin in male rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the molecular mechanism of dutasteride inhibiting fertility by studying its effects on the expressions of the epididymal epithelial junction proteins Claudin1 and ß-catenin in rats. METHODS: Sixteen 3-month-old SD male rats were equally divided into an experimental and a negative control group to be treated intragastrically with dutasteride at 40 mg/kg per day and the same dose of solvent, respectively, for 14 consecutive days. Then, the sperm motility and morphology of the rats were detected by computer-assisted sperm analysis, the serum levels of testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) measured by ELISA, changes in the tight junction of epididymal cells observed under the transmission electron microscope, the protein and gene expressions of Claudin1 and ß-catenin determined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, and the conception rate of the mated female rats calculated. RESULTS: Dutasteride significantly suppressed the serum DHT level, sperm motility, and fertility of the rats (P <0.05). Interspaces between epididymal epithelial cell tight junctions were observed, the volume of epididymal fluid obviously increased, and the expressions of Claudin1 and ß-catenin gene and protein remarkably downregulated in the experimental rats (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Dutasteride can significantly inhibit the fertility of male rats by reducing the serum DHT level, suppressing Claudin1 and ß-catenin expressions, and damaging epididymal epithelial cell junctions.

Involvement of Bcl-2, Src, and ERα in gossypol-mediated growth inhibition and apoptosis in human uterine leiomyoma and myometrial cells.

AIM: to investigate the effect of gossypol on the growth of cultured human uterine leiomyoma and myometrial cells, the level of Bcl-2 and the activity of Src and estrogen receptor (ERα). METHODS: human uterine leiomyoma and adjacent normal myometrial cells were cultured in vitro. Both cell types were treated with a graded concentration of gossypol. Cell viability was assayed using CCK-8. Morphological change was observed with optical and electronic microscopy. Apoptosis was evaluated using TUNEL assay. Levels of Bcl-2, ERα and Src were analyzed using Western blotting. RESULTS: gossypol significantly inhibited growth and promoted apoptosis in cultured human uterine leiomyoma cells with the IC(50) value and its corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) of 6.5 (4.0-10.5), 9.0 (4.9-16.5), and 7.5 (4.0-14.1) micromol/L at 20, 40, and 60 h, respectively. Gossypol exerted inhibitory effects on the myometrial cells with the IC(50) value and its 95% CI of 49.1 (28.3-85.0), 14.5 (7.7-27.4), and 2.6 (1.2-5.6) micromol/L at 20, 40, and 60 h, respectively. Compared with control, gossypol 0.1-3.0 micromol/L markedly decreased the protein expression of Bcl-2 (P<0.05) in both leiomyoma and myometrial cells in a concentration-dependent manner, and significantly suppressed the level of phospho-Tyr416Src (P<0.05) in both cell types at 3.0 micromol/L without obvious alteration of c-Src and phospho-Tyr527Src levels (P>0.05). In addition, gossypol markedly reduced both the expression of ERα (P<0.05) at the low concentration of 0.1 micromol/L in the myometrial cells and the level of phospho-ser167ERα (P<0.05) at the high concentration of 3.0 µmol/L in the leiomyoma cells. CONCLUSION: gossypol inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in human uterine leiomyoma and myometrial cells. It is likely that the mechanisms of action involve reducing the protein level of Bcl-2 and the activity of Src and ERα.