Yishentongluo decoction in treatment of idiopathic asthenozoospermia infertility: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

MicroRNAs from Yishen Tongluo formula can repair sperm DNA damage caused by benzo(a)pyrene

CONTEXT

Plant microRNAs (miRNAs) present in Yishen Tongluo formula (YSTL, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine formula) are considered as potential therapeutic drugs for reducing the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI).

OBJECTIVE

To study the effectiveness of plant miRNAs in YSTL for repairing mouse sperm DNA damage caused by benzo(a)pyrene (BaP).

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Twenty-four male SPF ICR (CD1) mice were divided into control, BaP and YSTL groups. A BaP-induced (100 mg/kg) sperm DNA damage model was established in the BaP and YSTL groups, and the mice in the YSTL group were treated with YSTL (23.78 g/kg) for 8 weeks. Sperm DFI was determined via a sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA). MicroRNAs in the testes of the mice were analysed via RNA-seq, and the top four plant miRNAs were screened, identified and overexpressed in GC cells. The effects of plant miRNAs on the viability and DNA integrity of GC cells exposed to benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE) (1 μM) were tested using CCK8 and comet assays.

RESULTS

Compared with that of the BaP group, the DFI of the YSTL group decreased (9.57% vs. 18.54%, F = 18.645, p = 0.0236). miR166-y, miR894-x, miR822-x and miR396-x were screened. The CCK8 and comet assays revealed that the DFI of the mimic group was significantly lower than that of the BPDE (IC50 = 1.006 μM) group, with the most significant difference in the miR396-x group.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Plant miRNAs such as miR396-x can penetrate the blood-testis barrier through the digestive system to repair sperm DNA.

Modified Hongteng Baijiang decoction enema improves sequelae of pelvic inflammatory disease by regulating the LIF/JAK2/STAT3 pathway and gut microbiota

OBJECTIVE

The sequelae of pelvic inflammatory disease (SPID) are major causes of secondary infertility. Modified Hongteng Baijiang decoction (MHTBD) has produced positive results in the treatment of patients with chronic pelvic inflammatory disease; however, its role in SPID remains elusive. Therefore, this study clarified the role of MHTBD in SPID pathogenesis.

METHODS

The main components in MHTBD were analyzed by using liquid chromatography‒mass spectrometry (LC/MS). An SPID rat model was established, and the rats were treated with different doses of MHTBD (0.504 g of raw drug/kg, 1.008 g of raw drug/kg, and 2.016 g of raw drug/kg). Endometrial pinopodes were observed via scanning electron microscopy, endometrial thickness and inflammatory cell infiltration were assessed via HE staining, and the expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), integrin β3 (ITGB3), and CD31 in the endometrium was detected by using immunohistochemistry. Western blot analysis was used to detect the protein expression of LIF, JAK2, p-JAK2, STAT3, and p-STAT3 in the endometrium. Moreover, the changes in the gut microbiota were analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing.

RESULTS

MHTBD improved endometrial receptivity, attenuated endometrial pathologic damage, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, decreased ER and PR expression in the endometrium, and promoted the expression of LIF, p-JAK2, and p-STAT3 in the endometrium (p < .05) in SPID rats. Additionally, MHTBD treatment affected the composition of the gut microbiota in SPID rats. Furthermore, MHTBD attenuated endometrial receptivity and pathological damage in SPID rats by promoting the LIF/JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

CONCLUSION

MHTBD attenuates SPID in rats by promoting the LIF/JAK2/STAT3 pathway and improving the composition of the gut microbiota. MHTBD may be a valuable drug for SPID therapy.

Exploring the Mechanisms of Yishen Tongluo Decoction on Repairing DNA Damage in Mouse Spermatogonia Cells Based on Whole Transcriptome Sequencing

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential mechanism through which Yishen Tongluo decoction (YSTL) repairs DNA damage caused by benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE) in mouse spermatocytes (GC-2). The GC-2 cells were divided randomly into the control group, BPDE group, and low-, medium-, and high-dose YSTL groups of YSTL decoction. A comet assay was used to detect the DNA fragment index (DFI) of cells in each group. Based on the DFI results, whole transcriptome sequencing was conducted, followed by trend analysis, gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, and ceRNA network analysis. Compared with the control group, the BPDE group reported a significant increase in the DNA fragmentation index (DFI) (p < .05). Compared with the BPDE group, the low-, high- and medium-dose YSTL groups had a significantly reduced DFI (p < .05). Whole-transcriptome sequencing revealed seven differentially expressed circRNAs, 203 differentially expressed miRNAs, and 3,662 differentially expressed mRNAs between the control group and the BPDE group. There was a total of 12 differentially expressed circRNAs, 204 miRNAs, and 2150 mRNAs between the BPDE group and the traditional Chinese medicine group. The pathways involved include DNA repair pathway, nucleotide excision repair pathway, base excision repair pathway, etc. The ceRNA network reported that Hmga2 was the core protein involved, novel_cir_000117 and mmu-miR-466c-3p were located upstream of Hmga2, and they were regulatory factors associated with Hmga2. Finally, we conclude that YSTL decoction may repair sperm DNA damage caused by BPDE through the novel_cir_000117-mmu-miR-466c-3p-Hmga2 pathway.

Repair mechanism of Yishen Tongluo formula on mouse sperm DNA fragmentation caused by polystyrene microplastics

CONTEXT

Plastics can break down into millions of microplastic (MPs, < 5 mm) particles in the soil and ocean. These MPs can then affect the function of the reproductive system. There is currently no effective solution to this problem aside from traditional Chinese medicine. We have previously used Yishen Tongluo formula (YSTL) to treat sperm DNA damage caused by some toxic substances.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the mechanism underlying the repair of mouse sperm DNA fragmentation caused by polystyrene microplastics by YSTL.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An animal model of polystyrene microplastic (PS-MP)-induced sperm DNA damage was replicated by gavage of SPF ICR (CD1) mice PS-MPs at 1 mg/d and treated with YSTL at 11.89, 23.78 and 47.56 g/kg, respectively, for 60 days. The Sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) of each group was detected and compared. The target genes of YSTL identified by transcriptomic and proteomic analyses were validated by qRT-PCR and western blotting.

RESULTS

The DFI of the PS group (20.66%) was significantly higher than that of the control group (4.23%). The medium and high doses of the YSTL group (12.8% and 11.31%) exhibited a significant repairing effect. The most enriched pathway was PI3K/Akt. TBL1X, SPARC, hnRNP0, Map7D1, Eps8 and Mrpl27 were screened and SPARC was validated.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The precise mechanism by which YSTL inhibits PD-MPs DNA damage may be associated with the PI3K/Akt pathway and SPARC. It provides a new direction for using traditional Chinese medicine to prevent and repair reproductive system injury caused by MPs.

Transcriptomics and proteomics analysis to explore the mechanism of Yishen Tongluo formula repairing sperm DNA damage in rats

The sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) is an objective indicator of male fertility. Currently, effective treatments for high sperm DFI are limited and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has certain advantages in this aspect. Yishen Tongluo formula (YSTL), a TCM formula, has been found to reduce DFI in patients. To better understand the mechanisms underlying its activity, we used transcriptomics and proteomics to analyse the potential target gene YSTL repairing tripterygium glycosides (TGs)-mediated sperm DNA damage in rats, followed by validation analyses using RT-qPCR and western blotting, which showed that relative to the control group, DFI was markedly elevated in the TGs group, but markedly lower in the YSTL group relative to the TGs group. KEGG pathway analysis of 119 differentially expressed genes and 158 DEPs identified using trend analysis revealed that they were enriched for apoptosis and base excision repair at the transcriptomic level and for microRNAs in cancer and complement and coagulation cascades at the proteomic level. Ttr and Pnpla2 were identified as potential target genes for YSTL. Our data show that YSTL can protect rat sperm DNA from TGs-induced damage, which may be related to apoptosis, DNA repair and other pathways, and the possible target genes are Ttr and Pnpla2.