Zuogui Pills improve testicular development of offspring rats exposed to prenatal stress via Cx43

This study aims to reveal the mechanism of prenatal stress in affecting the testicular development of offspring rats and the intervention effects of Zuogui Pills via connexin 43(Cx43). Forty pregnant SD rats were randomized into a blank control group, a mo-del group, a high-dose(18.9 g·kg~(-1)) Zuogui Pills group, a low-dose(9.45 g·kg~(-1)) Zuogui Pills group, and a vitamin E(1.44 mg·kg~(-1)) group. The other groups except the blank control group was subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress for the modeling of prenatal stress. The model was evaluated by sucrose preference test, open field test, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) of the glucocorticoid level. ELISA was employed to measure the thyroxine 4(T4), testosterone(T), and follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH) levels to assess kidney deficiency. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was employed to evaluate the status of testicular germ cells. An automatic sperm analyzer was used to measure the sperm quality. Immunofluorescence double staining was employed to detect the expression of Cx43 and follicle-stimulating hormone receptor(FSHR) in the testes of offspring rats. The mRNA and protein levels of Cx43, FSHR, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K), and protein kinase B(Akt) were determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. Prenatal stress induced testicular development disorders in offspring rats. The HE staining results showed that on the day of birth, the model group had reduced seminiferous tubules in the testes, elevated FSH level in the serum, and lowered Cx43 level in the testicular tissue. Male offspring rats of 60 days old had reduced testicular spermatogenic function, decreased sperm quality, elevated FSH level and lowered T level in the serum, and down-regulated protein and mRNA levels of Cx43, FSHR, PI3K, and Akt in the testicular tissue. Zuogui Pills alleviated the abnormal development and dysfunction of testicles in the offspring rats caused by prenatal stress. In summary, Zuogui Pills may weaken the effects of prenatal stress on testicular development and spermatogenic function of offspring rats by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway to regulate Cx43 expression in the testicular tissue.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:49

Enthalten in:

Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica - 49(2024), 1 vom: 15. Jan., Seite 197-207

Sprache:

Chinesisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Xiao, Min [VerfasserIn]
Cao, Ji-Gang [VerfasserIn]
Jiang, Xiao-Cui [VerfasserIn]
Wang, Chao-Yang [VerfasserIn]
Gong, Jian [VerfasserIn]
Chen, Si-Yi [VerfasserIn]
Zhou, Yan-Yan [VerfasserIn]
Zhao, Min [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

9002-68-0
Connexin 43
Drugs, Chinese Herbal
EC 2.7.1.-
EC 2.7.11.1
English Abstract
Follicle Stimulating Hormone
Journal Article
Offspring
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
Prenatal stress
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
RNA, Messenger
Testicular development
Zuogui
Zuogui Pills

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 27.02.2024

Date Revised 27.02.2024

published: Print

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.20230811.705

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM368933261