Carbon tetrachloride exposure induces ovarian damage through oxidative stress and inflammatory mediated ovarian fibrosis

LncPrep + 96kb inhibits ovarian fibrosis by upregulating prolyl oligopeptidase expression

LncPrep + 96kb is a long non‑coding RNA expressed in murine granulosa cells. The 2.2-kb fragment of lncPrep + 96kb inhibits aromatase expression and estrogen secretion in ovarian granulosa cells. In the present study, lncPrep + 96kb‑knockout (KO) mice were generated, and significant ovarian fibrosis and reduced female fertility through fertility monitoring and superovulation. The augmentation of ovarian fibrosis was observed by Sirius red staining and western blot and RT‑qPCR. Notably, lncPrep + 96kb was identified in conserved non‑coding sequences adjacent to the prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) gene. Furthermore, POP expression was shown to be reduced in lncPrep + 96kb‑KO mice, whereas overexpression of lncPrep + 96kb increased POP expression. Further studies revealed that POP regulated the expression levels of factors related to fibrosis, including matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), transforming growth factor β1 (TGF‑β1) and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPAR‑γ). In conclusion, ovarian fibrosis was elevated in lncPrep + 96kb‑KO mice, and POP may act as a target of lncPrep + 96kb, which mediates ovarian fibrosis through the regulation of PPAR‑γ, MMP2 and TGF‑β1 expression.

Ascorbic acid and resveratrol improve the structural integrity of the extracellular matrix and enhance follicular survival in cultured bovine ovarian tissue

This study aimed to investigate the changes induced by the culture system and the effect of ascorbic acid and resveratrol on collagen fibers, stromal cells, follicle growth and survival, as well as antioxidant enzyme activity in cultured bovine ovarian tissues. In experiment 1, bovine ovarian fragments were cultured in α-minimum essential medium (α-MEM+) for 6 days. Before and after culturing, the fragments were fixed and processed to assess follicular morphology and diameters, stromal cell survival, collagen fibers, and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Uncultured and cultured tissues were also used to measure mRNA expression for superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and peroxiredoxin (PRDX). Thiol levels and activity of CAT, SOD, and GPX enzymes were also investigated. In experiment 2, bovine ovarian fragments were cultured in α-MEM+ alone or supplemented with 50 μg/mL ascorbic acid or both 50 μg/mL ascorbic acid and 20 μM resveratrol for 6 days. In experiment 1, cultured tissues had higher percentages of growing follicles, but higher percentage of degenerated follicles than uncultured slices (P < 0.05). Additionally, the collagen and GAGs network became disorganized, with reduced deposition around primordial and primary follicles (P < 0.05). The number of stromal and granulosa cells, as well as follicular and oocyte diameters were reduced in both follicular categories compared to uncultured tissue (P < 0.05). Expression of mRNA for CAT, SOD, GPX, and PRDX was downregulated in 6-day cultured tissues (P < 0.05). Similarly, thiol levels and CAT activity were also reduced (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, ascorbic acid or both ascorbic acid and resveratrol increased the rate of follicular diameters and survival, and the number of granulosa and stromal cells compared to tissues cultured in the control medium (P < 0.05). Both ascorbic acid and resveratrol improved collagen density and preserved the GAG network, as well as increased thiol levels and CAT activity (P < 0.05). In conclusion, in vitro culture of ovarian tissue favored follicular activation, but reduced the proportion of normal follicles, collagen, GAG network, stromal cell numbers, and tissue antioxidant protection. Ascorbic acid alone or in association with resveratrol improved the preservation of extracellular matrix components and enhanced follicular survival.

Multi-omics analysis and the remedial effects of Swertiamarin on hepatic injuries caused by CCl4

Hepatic diseases pose a significant threat to community health, impacting the quality of life and longevity of millions worldwide. Despite revolutionary advancements in treatment, liver diseases remain a pressing issue, necessitating the development of more effective therapeutic approaches. Here, we conducted a comprehensive multi-omics analysis to investigate the underlying mechanism of Swertiamarin in alleviating hepatic injuries induced by CCl4 in mice. We divided 100 Kunming mice into five groups: RC (control), RM (CCl4), RD (15 mg/Kg Swertiamarin), RZ (30 mg/Kg Swertiamarin), and RG (60 mg/Kg Swertiamarin). Animals in groups RD, RZ, and RG received daily Swertiamarin via gavage, while those in groups RM, RD, RZ, and RG were treated with CCl4 solution intraperitoneally every four days, nine times in total. Our findings revealed that mice in the RM group exhibited slightly lower average weights compared to other groups, along with significantly higher liver weight (p<0.0001) and liver index (p<0.0001). Pathological analysis indicated liver damage characterized by cell degeneration, inflammatory cell infiltration, and hepatic fibrosis in the CCl4-induced group. In contrast, Swertiamarin supplementation mitigated these effects, reducing denatured cells, inflammatory cells, and collagenous fibers in the liver. Serum analysis showed elevated levels of TNF-α (p<0.001), IL-6 (p<0.05), ALT (p<0.001), AST (p<0.0001), MDA (p<0.001), and Hyp (p<0.001) in CCl4-induced animals, along with lower levels of T-AOC (p<0.001), GSH-px (p<0.0001), SOD (p<0.001), and CAT (p<0.01). Microbiome analysis revealed significant differences among groups, with pathogenic taxa such as Arthrinium and Aureobasidium, and probiotic Saccharomyces showing notable variations. Metabolomics analysis identified numerous differentially abundant metabolites, with Swertiamarin-treated animals exhibiting distinct profiles. Our findings highlight the potential of Swertiamarin ameliorating CCl4-induced liver toxicity through modulation of antioxidant capacity, inflammatory response, gut microbiota, and metabolites. These insights may inform the development of novel therapies for liver injury.

Dual-Activated H2O2-Responsive AIE Probes for Oocyte Quality Assessment

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) is an important cause of infertility, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is the mainstay of treatment for these patients. In cases where a sufficient number of sperm (usually 1-2) is not available, the selection of oocytes for ICSI is a difficult problem that must be solved. Here, we constructed a dual-activated oxidative stress-responsive AIE probe, b-PyTPA. The strong donor-acceptor configuration of b-PyTPA leads to twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) effect that quenches the fluorescence of the probe, however, H2O2 would specifically remove the boronatebenzyl unit and release a much weaker acceptor, which inhibits TICT and restores the fluorescence. In addition, the presence of a pyridine salt makes b-PyTPA more hydrophilic, whereas removal of the pyridine salt increases the hydrophobicity of PyTPA, which triggers aggregation and further enhances fluorescence. Thus, the higher the intracellular level of oxidative stress, the stronger the fluorescence. In vitro, this dual-activated fluorescent probe is capable of accurately detecting senescent cells (high oxidative stress). More importantly, b-PyTPA was able to characterize senescent oocytes, as assessed by the level of oxidative stress. It is also possible to identify high quality oocytes from those obtained for subsequent ICSI. In conclusion, this dual-activated oxidative stress-assessment probe enables the quality assessment of oocytes and has potential application in ICSI.

Improvement of Inflammation and Abnormal Vascularization by TSP1 Treatment Combined with ADSCs Transplantation in Mice with Induced Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common gynecological endocrine disease with a certain degree of chronic inflammation and abnormal ovarian angiogenesis in reproductive women. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have potent immunomodulatory properties to regulate ovarian function, while thrombospondin 1 (TSP1) improves the abnormal formation of ovarian vessels. The present study investigated the efficacy of the combined use of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) and TSP1 in PCOS mice. The PCOS model is established using dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) by subcutaneous injection. Ovarian apoptosis is assessed using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL). Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) and western blotting are used to detect the expression of inflammatory factors and the levels of angiogenesis-related factors in ovarian tissues. Inflammatory cells count and ovarian angiogenesis are evaluated by immunofluorescence staining. This research shows that TSP1 and ADSCs treatment can significantly reduce the inflammatory state of PCOS mice, relieve the degree of ovarian cell apoptosis, optimize the ovarian histological manifestations, and restore the levels of related hormones. The proportion of CD31-positive cells in PCOS mice returned to near-normal levels. The synergistic use of ADSCs and TSP1 therapy can exert a more impressive effect by inhibiting the ovarian inflammatory response and regulating the balance of angiogenesis than the single application in PCOS mice.