Red-Fleshed Apple Anthocyanin Extracts Attenuate Male Reproductive System Dysfunction Caused by Busulfan in Mice

Strontium Chloride Improves Reproductive Function and Alters Gut Microbiota in Male Rats

Strontium (Sr) is an essential trace element in the human body and plays an important role in regulating male reproductive health. Recent studies have shown that gut flora plays a key role in maintaining spermatogenesis, as well as testicular health, through the gut-testis axis. At present, it is unclear whether gut microbiota can mediate the effects of Sr on sperm quality, and what the underlying mechanisms may be. We investigated the effects of different concentrations of strontium chloride (SrCl2) solutions (0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg BW) on reproductive function and gut microbiota in male Wistar rats (6-8 weeks, 250 ± 20 g). All the animals were euthanized after 37 days of treatment. The Sr-50 group significantly increased sperm concentration, sperm motility, and sperm viability in rats. After Sr treatment, serum and testicular testosterone (T) and Sr levels increased in a dose-dependent manner with increasing Sr concentration. At the same time, we also found that testicular marker enzymes (ACP, LDH) and testosterone marker genes (StAR, 3β-HSD, and Cyp11a1) increased significantly in varying degrees after Sr treatment, while serum NO levels decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner. Further investigation of intestinal flora showed that SrCl2 affected the composition of gut microbiome, but did not affect the richness and diversity of gut microbiota. Sr treatment reduced the number of bacteria with negative effects on reproductive health, such as Bacteroidetes, Tenericutes, Romboutsia, Ruminococcaceae_UCG_014, Weissella, and Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group, and added bacteria with negative effects on reproductive health, such as Jeotgalicoccus. To further explore the Sr and the relationship between the gut microbiota, we conducted a Spearman correlation analysis, and the results showed that the gut microbiota was closely correlated with Sr content in serum and testicular tissue, sex hormone levels, and testicular marker enzymes. Additionally, gut microbiota can also regulate each other and jointly maintain the homeostasis of the body's internal environment. However, we found no significant correlation between intestinal flora and sperm quality in this study, which may be related to the small sample size of our 16S rDNA sequencing. In conclusion, the Sr-50 group significantly increased T levels and sperm quality, and improved the levels of testicular marker enzymes and testosterone marker genes in the rats. Sr treatment altered the gut flora of the rats. However, further analysis of the effects of gut microbiota in mediating the effects of SrCl2 on male reproductive function is needed. This study may improve the current understanding of the interaction between Sr, reproductive health, and gut microbiota, providing evidence for the development of Sr-rich foods and the prevention of male fertility decline.

Evaluation of L-Carnitine Potential in Improvement of Male Fertility

L-carnitine, through its antioxidant potential, plays a significant role in reducing ROS production in male genital tract; therefore, fundamental improvements in spermatogenesis process and sperm structural and functional parameters in seminal plasma can be observed by treatment with L-carnitine. A literature search was performed using PubMed (including Medline) from the database earliest inception to 2021. Eligibility criteria included studies on protective effects of L-carnitine against damages to the male reproductive system. Based on the findings of the current study, L-carnitine has an effective potential to protect testis and improve conventional and functional sperm parameters against ROS-induced damages by sperm cryopreservation, busulfan treatment, and radiation.

Red-fleshed apple flavonoid extract alleviates CCl4-induced liver injury in mice

In recent years, the global incidence of liver damage has increased. Despite the many known health benefits of red-fleshed apple flavonoids, their potential liver-protective effects have not yet been investigated. In this study, we analyzed the composition of red-fleshed apple flavonoid extract (RAFE) by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). We then induced liver damage in mice with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and performed interventions with RAFE to analyze its effect on liver damage, using bifendate as a positive control. The results showed that catechin was the most abundant flavonoid in 'XJ4' RAFE (49.346 mg/100 g). In liver-injured mice, the liver coefficients converged to normal levels following RAFE intervention. Moreover, RAFE significantly reduced the enzymatic activity levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (ALT), glutamic alanine transaminase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in mouse serum. Furthermore, RAFE significantly increased the content or enzyme activity level of total glutathione, total antioxidant capacity, and superoxide dismutase, and significantly decreased the content of malondialdehyde in the liver of mice. In parallel, we performed histopathological observations of mouse livers for each group. The results showed that RAFE restored the pathological changes caused by CCl4 around the central hepatic vein in mice and resulted in tightly bound hepatocytes. The recovery effect of RAFE was dose-dependent in the liver tissue. Regarding intestinal microorganisms, we found that RAFE restored the microbial diversity in liver-injured mice, with a similar microbial composition in the RAFE intervention group and normal group. RAFE reduced the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, increased the levels of probiotic bacteria, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Clostridium, and reduced the levels of harmful bacteria, such as Erysipelothrix Rosenbach. Therefore, RAFE ameliorated CCl4-induced liver damage by modulating the abundance and composition of intestinal microorganisms in mice. In conclusion, RAFE alleviated CCl4-induced liver damage in mice, with H-RAFE (5 mg kg-1) significantly improving liver damage in mice but M-RAFE (1 mg kg-1) significantly improving the imbalance of intestinal microorganisms in mice. Our research suggests that RAFE could be employed for the adjuvant treatment and prevention of liver damage, and may have important applications in food and medicine.

Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal the Mechanisms Underlying Anthocyanin Coloration and Aroma Formation in Purple Fennel

The color and aroma are the significant traits of vegetables and fruits, but the metabolic and molecular mechanisms underlying anthocyanin accumulation and aroma formation remain almost unknown in fennel (Anethum foeniculum L.), which is a crucial vegetable crop and grown widely for aromatic leaves and bulbs. Here, ten major anthocyanins identified and quantified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS) were mainly responsible for the coloration of purple fennel leaf. With the application of GC-MS, it was found that the reduced volatile phenylpropanoids including isoeugenol, trans-isoeugenol, and apiol chiefly account for the characteristic aroma changes of the purple fennel. Moreover, the characteristic anthocyanin coloration and aroma formation in purple fennel were systematically studied with the integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics. The critical genes associated with the biosynthesis and regulation of anthocyanins and volatile phenylpropanoids were isolated and studied carefully in transiently transfected tobacco cells and transgenic tomato plants. Together with the results of UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS, RT-qPCR, and yeast two hybrid (Y2H), it is proved that the metabolic flux redirection of phenylpropanoid pathway primarily regulated by a functional MYB-bHLH-WD40 complex consisting of AfTT8, AfMYB7, and AfTTG1 accounts for the characteristic anthocyanin coloration and aroma formation in purple fennel leaf. The systematic understanding of the anthocyanin accumulation and aroma formation will assist in the improvement of fennel resource utilization and breeding.

New red-fleshed apple cultivars: a comprehensive review of processing effects, (poly)phenol bioavailability and biological effects

Red-fleshed apple cultivars with an enhanced content of anthocyanins have recently attracted the interest of apple producers and consumers due to their attractive color and promising added health benefits. In this paper, we provide the first comprehensive overview of new hybrid red-fleshed apples, mainly focusing on their (poly)phenolic composition, the effect of processing, the (poly)phenolic bioavailability and the biological effects. Evidence so far from in vitro and in vivo studies supports their added beneficial effects compared to common apples on health outcomes such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammation and immune function, which are mainly related to their specific (poly)phenol composition.

Combined Analysis of Gut Microbiota and Plasma Metabolites Reveals the Effect of Red-Fleshed Apple Anthocyanin Extract on Dysfunction of Mice Reproductive System Induced by Busulfan

Busulfan is currently an indispensable anti-cancer drug, but the side effects on male reproductive system are so serious. Meanwhile, red-fleshed apples are natural products with high anthocyanin content. In this research, we analyzed the effect of red-fleshed apple anthocyanin extract (RAAE) on busulfan-treated mice. Compared with the busulfan group, main plasma biochemical indicators were significantly improved after RAAE treatment. Compared with BA0 (busulfan without RAAE) group, total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione catalase (GSH-Px) in RAAE treatment groups were obviously increased, while the activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were significantly decreased. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly decreased in the RAAE groups. In addition, we found RAAE alleviated busulfan-disrupted spermatogenesis through improving genes expression which are important for spermatogenesis, such as DDX4, PGK2, and TP1. Furthermore, we found that RAAE increased beneficial bacteria Akkermansia and Lactobacillaceae, and significantly depleted harmful bacteria Erysipelotrichia. The correlation studies indicated that RAAE ameliorated busulfan-induced rise in LysoPC levels through regulating gut microbial community and their associated metabolites. In conclusion, this study extends our understanding of the alleviated effect of RAAE on busulfan-induced male reproductive dysfunction through regulating the relationships between gut microbiota and metabolites.