
左归丸防治肾亏所致嗣孕功能异常的机制研究专题
- The Paper
Bioinformatics Reveals Mechanism of Zuoguiwan in Treating Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Enhanced Publication
Abstract:ObjectiveTo explore the potential mechanism of Zuoguiwan in ameliorating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by network pharmacology and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics.MethodThe active ingredients and potential targets of Zuoguiwan for treating PCOS were predicted by bioinformatics. SD rats were assigned into a control group and a modeling group. The rat model of PCOS was established by gavage with letrozole (1 mg·kg-1) combined with feeding with a high-fat diet. At the end of modeling, the modeled rats were assigned into model (normal saline), metformin (300 mg·kg-1), and Zuoguiwan (concentrate 1.62 g·kg-1) groups. The body weight and oestrous cycle of each rat were recorded, and the ovary was stained with hematoxylin and eosin for observation of ovarian morphology. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to determine the serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), testosterone (T), and estradiol (E2), and the LH/FSH ratio was calculated. Serum metabolomics of rats was conducted by orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) to screen the metabolite-enriched pathways. Furthermore, network pharmacology and association analysis were employed construct the compound-response-enzyme-gene network.ResultA total of 503 potential targets of Zuoguiwan and 5 843 targets of PCOS were screened out, with 271 common targets. The Gene Ontology enrichment analysis revealed that the common targets were involved in the response to lipopolysaccharide, etc., and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment yielded 119 pathways. Animal experiments showed that compared with the control group, the model group presented increased body weight (P<0.01), elevated LH and AMH levels (P<0.01), increased LH/FSH ratio (P<0.01), lowered E2 level (P<0.01), and increased cystic follicles. Compared with the model group, Zuoguiwan and metformin decreased the body weight (P<0.01), reduced atretic follicles and cystic follicles, increased mature follicles and corpus luteum, and thickened the granulosa layer. Moreover, Zuoguiwan lowered the T, FSH, LH, and AMH, and LH/FSH levels (P<0.01) and elevated the E2 level (P<0.01). The principal component analysis and OPLS-DA in metabolomics showed that the differential metabolites between Zuoguiwan and model groups included 26 up-regulated metabolites in the Zuoguiwan group. There were 8 common pathways predicted by the KEGG enrichment analysis in network pharmacology and the metabolite enrichment in metabolomics. The results of topological analysis revealed the pathways of steroid hormone biosynthesis and glycerol-phospholipid metabolism, and the constructed compound-response-enzyme-gene network revealed that the key targets were protein kinase B1 (Akt1), epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR), prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1).ConclusionZuoguiwan regulated the steroid hormone biosynthesis pathway to recover hormone levels, promote follicle production and development, and improve ovarian function, which may be the potential mechanism of this medicine in treating PCOS.Keywords:Zuoguiwan;polycystic ovary syndrome;network pharmacology;metabolomics;steroid hormone biosynthesis pathway501|386|4
<HTML><H-PDF><L-PDF><XML>Updated:2024-07-31- Abstract:ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Zuoguiwan on ovarian reserve in the female offspring rat model of prenatal stress (PS) and explore the mechanism based on Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-κB p65 (TLR4/NF-κB p65) signaling pathway.MethodThirty-two pregnant rats were prepared and randomized into four groups (n=8): control, model, Zuoguiwan (18.9 mg·kg-1), and vitamin E (1.44 mg·kg-1). Except the control group, the other three groups were subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) from day 11 of pregnancy, and the modeling was accompanied by gavage with corresponding drugs until delivery. The PS model was evaluated by the sucrose preference test, open field test, and serum corticosterone (CORT) level. The estrous cycle was monitored and the morphological changes in the ovarian tissue were observed. The serum levels of estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) in the 75-day-old offspring rats were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to evaluate the ovarian reserve. The ovary and uterus indices were calculated. The serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The morphology of the ovarian tissue in the offspring on the day of birth and day 75 after birth was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The transport of NF-κB p65 to the nucleus in the ovaries of the 75-day-old offspring was detected by the immunofluorescence (IF) assay. The expression of TLR4, NF-κB p65 and other related proteins in the ovarian tissue was determined by Western blot.ResultCompared with the control group, the model group showed reduced primordial follicles in the offspring on the day of birth (P<0.01) as well as disturbed estrous cycle, decreased ovary index and uterus index (P<0.01), reduced corpus luteum, increased atretic follicles (P<0.01), lowered serum levels of AMH and E2 (P<0.01), elevated serum levels of LH, FSH, IL-1β, and TNF-α (P<0.05, P<0.01), and up-regulated protein levels of TLR4, NF-κB p65, recombinant myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), and phosphorylated NF-κB inhibitor (p-IκBα) (P<0.01) in the 75-day-old offspring rats. Compared with the model group, Zuoguiwan and vitamin E increased the primordial follicles in the offspring on the day of birth (P<0.01). Moreover, they resumed the estrous cycle, increased the ovary and uterine indices (P<0.05, P<0.01) and corpus luteum (P<0.01), reduced atretic follicles (P<0.01), elevated the serum levels of AMH and E2 (P<0.05, P<0.01), lowered the serum levels of LH, FSH, IL-1β, and TNF-α (P<0.05, P<0.01), and down-regulated the expression of TLR4, NF-κB p65, MyD88, and p-IκB-α (P<0.05, P<0.01) in the 75-day-old offspring.ConclusionZuoguiwan can improve the ovarian reserve in the offspring rat model of congenital kidney deficiency by regulating the TLR4/NF-κB p65 signaling pathway.Keywords:prenatal stress;offspring;Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-
κ B p65 (NF-κ B p65) signaling pathway;Zuoguiwan;ovarian reserve236|241|1
<HTML><H-PDF><L-PDF><XML>Updated:2024-07-31 - Abstract:ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Zuoguiwan on the ovarian function in the rat model of cyclophosphamide-induced premature ovarian failure (POF) based on the changes of ferroptosis pathway.MethodForty SD rats were randomized into blank, model, and low- and high-dose (2, 8 g·kg-1, respectively) Zuoguiwan groups, with 10 rats in each group. The rats in the other groups except the normal group were intraperitoneally injected with CTX at a dose of 50 mg·kg-1 on the first day and 8 mg·kg-1 from the second day to the fifteenth day for the modeling of POF. After modeling, the rats were administrated with corresponding drugs or normal saline by gavage for four weeks. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to observe the pathological changes in the ovarian tissue. The mitochondria of the ovarian tissue was observed by electron microscopy. The serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH), anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and iron ion were measured by biochemical methods and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), ferritin heavy chain (FTH1), and acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member 4 (ACSL4).ResultCompared with the blank group, the model group showcased significantly increased atretic follicles, atrophied, fragmented, and vacuolated mitochondria, and reduced, loose, and disordered cristae in mitochondria. Compared with the model group, high-dose Zuoguiwan increased mature follicles, the volume of mitochondria in the ovary, alleviated the vacuolation, and improved the number and arrangement of mitochondrial cristae. Compared with the blank group, the modeling elevated the levels of iron, MDA, FSH, and LH, up-regulated the expression of GPX4, SLC7A11, and FTH1 (P<0.05, P<0.01), decreased the activities of SOD and CAT, lowered the levels of E2 and AMH, and down-regulated the expression of ACSL4 (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the model group, drug interventions lowered the levels of iron, MDA, FSH, and LH, down-regulated the expression of GPX4, SLC7A11, and FTH1 (P<0.05, P<0.01), increased the activity of CAT, elevated the levels of E2 and AMH, and up-regulated the expression of ACSL4 (P<0.05, P<0.01).ConclusionZuoguiwan may inhibit the occurrence of ferroptosis by regulating the SLC7A11/GPX4 axis, thereby improving the ovarian function of POF rats.Keywords:premature ovarian failure;ferroptosis;glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11)374|318|4
<HTML><H-PDF><L-PDF><XML>Updated:2024-07-31 - Abstract:Zuoguiwan, one of the classic formulas of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has the effects of nourishing genuine Yin, supplementing essence, and replenishing marrow, and it is widely used in the clinical treatment of diseases caused by congenital essence deficiency. This article systematically reviewed the ancient books involving congenital deficiency and the modern research reports on the treatment of congenital deficiency with Zuoguiwan. From the formulation principle of Zuoguiwan and the TCM concept of congenital deficiency, this article discussed the theoretical basis of treating congenital deficiency with Zuoguiwan based on the modern research results. Ancient physicians have discovered that the deficiency of parents can lead to abnormal physical development and weakness of the offspring. ZHANG Jingyue divided congenital essence Qi into genuine Yin and primordial Yang and formulated Zuoguiwan based on the principle of Yin-Yang mutual assistance for supplementing congenital genuine Yin. Experimental studies have shown that Zuoguiwan can up-regulate the expression of connexin 43 (Cx43) protein and improve gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) function to promote osteogenic differentiation and maturation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and ameliorate abnormal bone development caused by congenital essence deficiency. Zuoguiwan can enhance the expression and activity of Reelin to ameliorate abnormal brain development. It can upregulate the expression of Cx43 protein to intervene in the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathway, thus repairing the reproductive functions. Zuiguiwan can promote the development and maturation of T cells and activate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in the thymus to improve immune functions. In addition, it can promote the expression of β-catenin and inhibit the expression of microtubule-associated proteins 1 light chain 3 (LC3) to attenuate skin dysfunctions. Moreover, Zuoguiwan can guide the differentiation of stem cells via the correlation between essence and vitality in TCM. Zuoguiwan has demonstrated significant therapeutic effects on some diseases in the pediatric, andrological, gynecological, geriatric, internal medicine, orthopedic and skin disease departments. On the basis of the results of experiments and clinical applications, this paper analyzes the specific connotation of congenital deficiency proposes that congenital deficiency should be subdivided into the four aspects of essence, Qi, Yin, and Yang. Congenital essence deficiency as the deficiency of genuine Yin can lead to deficiency of kidney essence in the offspring and dysfunction of kidney storing essence. Pharmacological studies have discovered that Cuscutae Semen, Lycii Fructus, and Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix in Zuoguiwan contain active components such as quercetin and kaempferol, which act on the targets such as recombinant prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK14), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), TP53, Vascular permeability factor A (VEGFA), and albumin (ALB) to play a role in reproductive system development and hormone responses. Zuoguiwan has unique advantages over Liuwei Dihuangwan in nourishing congenital genuine Yin in the kidney and can achieve better therapeutic effects on the syndromes and diseases caused by congenital essence deficiency. This review is expected to enrich the knowledge about the efficacy and clinical application of Zuoguiwan, provide new perspectives and methods for the prevention and treatment of congenital deficiency and congenital essence deficiency, and give insights into the application of Zuoguiwan in modern healthcare, especially in the nurturing of offspring.Keywords:Zuoguiwan;congenital essence deficiency;kidney storing essence;research progress343|317|3
<HTML><H-PDF><L-PDF><XML>Updated:2024-07-31



