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Dong J, Ye T, Dong Y, Hui J, Wang X. Ursolic acid attenuates oligospermia in busulfan-induced mice by promoting motor proteins. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17691. [PMID: 38978752 PMCID: PMC11229684 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Oligospermia is one of the most common reasons for male infertility which is troubling numerous couples of child-bearing age. This investigation scrutinizes the implications and mechanistic underpinnings of ursolic acid's effect on busulfan-induced oligospermia in mouse models. Methods A singular intraperitoneal injection of busulfan at a dosage of 30 mg/kg induced oligospermia. Two weeks subsequent to this induction, mice were subjected to various dosages of ursolic acid (10, 30, and 50 mg/kg body weight, respectively) on a daily basis for four consecutive weeks. Following this treatment period, a meticulous analysis of epididymal sperm parameters, encompassing concentration and motility, was conducted using a computer-assisted sperm analysis system. The histopathology of the mice testes was performed utilizing hematoxylin and eosin staining, and the cytoskeleton regeneration of the testicular tissues was analyzed via immunofluorescent staining. Serum hormone levels, including testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone, as well as reactive oxygen species levels (inclusive of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde), were gauged employing specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Differentially expressed genes of testicular mRNA between the oligospermia-induced group and the various ursolic acid treatment groups were identified through RNA sequencing analysis. Results The results revealed that a dosage of 50 mg/kg ursolic acid treatment could increase the concentration of epididymal sperm in oligospermia mice, promote the recovery of testicular morphology, regulate hormone levels and ameliorate oxidative damage. The mechanism research results indicated that ursolic acid increased the expression level of genes related to motor proteins in oligospermia mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Dong
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
- Nantong Institute of Genetics and Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Genetics and Reproductive Medicine, Nantong, JIangsu, China
| | - Taowen Ye
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yanli Dong
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jie Hui
- Lianyungang Higher Vocational Technical College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaorong Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
- Nantong Institute of Genetics and Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Genetics and Reproductive Medicine, Nantong, JIangsu, China
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Dong J, Dong Y, Chen H, Ye T, Chen G, Fan B, Wang X, Shi J, Wang C. Ursonic acid attenuates spermatogenesis in oligozoospermia mice through inhibiting ferroptosis. Bioorg Chem 2024; 144:107174. [PMID: 38320369 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Ursonic acid (UNA) is a natural pentacyclic triterpene found in some medicinal plants and foods. The reproductive protective effect of UNA was evaluated in a mouse model of oligozoospermia induced by busulfan (BUS) at 30 mg/kg b.w.. The mice were initially divided into groups with UNA concentrations of 10, 30, 50, 100 mg/kg. Subsequently, based on sperm parameters, the optimal concentration of 50 mg/kg was identified. As a control, an additional group was supplemented with ursolic acid at a concentration of 50 mg/kg. The results indicated that BUS caused the loss of spermatogenic cells in testis, the decrease of sperm in epididymis, the disorder of testicular cytoskeleton, the decrease of serum sex hormones such as testosterone which induced an increase in feedback of androgen receptor and other testosterone-related proteins, the increase of malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species levels and the increase of ferroptosis in testis while UNA successfully reversed these injuries. High-throughput sequencing revealed that UNA administration significantly upregulated the expression of genes associated with spermatogenesis, such as Tnp1, Tnp2, Prm1, among others. These proteins are crucial in the histone to protamine transition during sperm chromatin remodeling. Network pharmacology analysis reveals a close association between UNA and proteins related to the transformation of histones to protamine. Molecular docking studies reveal that UNA can interact with the ferroptosis-inhibiting gene SLC7A11, thereby modulating ferroptosis. Taken together, UNA alleviated BUS-induced oligozoospermia by regulating hormone secretion, mitigating oxidative stress and promoting recovery of spermatogenesis by inhibiting the ferroptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Dong
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, China
| | - Yanli Dong
- Department of Natural Medicines, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, China
| | - Hanqing Chen
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, China
| | - Taowen Ye
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, China
| | - Guangtong Chen
- Department of Natural Medicines, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, China
| | - Boyi Fan
- Department of Natural Medicines, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, China
| | - Xiaorong Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226018, China; Nantong Institute of Genetics and Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226018, China; Nantong Key Laboratory of Genetics and Reproductive Medicine, Nantong, Jiangsu 226018, China.
| | - Jianwu Shi
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, China.
| | - Chengniu Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, China.
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Development of Potent ERα Inhibitors: Effectively Inhibit the Growth of Breast Cancer Cells. ChemistrySelect 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.202201451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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