Anti-hyperplasia Effects of Total Saponins From Phytolaccae Radix in Rats With Mammary Gland Hyperplasia via Inhibition of Proliferation and Induction of Apoptosis

The anti-hyperplasia effect of polysaccharide from Prunella vulgaris L. on mammary gland hyperplasia in rats through regulation of the AKT-FOXO3a signaling pathway and intestinal flora

BACKGROUND

Prunella vulgaris L., a medicinal and edible homologous plant, is often used to treat conditions such as breast hyperplasia, thyroid enlargement and lymphatic tuberculosis. Research has demonstrated that it is particularly effective in the treatment of mammary gland hyperplasia (MGH). However, the material basis and mechanism of its efficacy are still unclear.

RESULTS

Our results showed that in rats with MGH, polysaccharide from Prunella vulgaris L. (PVP) led to a reduction in the levels of estradiol, prolactin and malondialdehyde, while simultaneously increasing the concentrations of progesterone (P), superoxide dismutase (SOD), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and catalase (CAT) in the serum. In addition, results obtained from 16S rRNA sequencing demonstrated that PVP had the capacity to increase the richness and diversity of the intestinal microbiota in MGH rats, as well as modify the structure of the microbiota. Correlation analysis revealed that the levels of P, SOD, MnSOD and CAT were positively associated with Allobaculum, Romboutsia, Faecalibaculum and Clostridium, while negatively correlated with Turicibacter.

CONCLUSIONS

The mechanism of PVP in treating MGH might be through inhibiting the phosphorylation of the AKT-FOXO3a signaling pathway and then activating the expression of downstream antioxidant enzymes, such as MnSOD and CAT. At the same time, PVP could restore intestinal flora homeostasis in rats with MGH by regulating the flora changes of Allobaculum, Romboutsia, Clostridium and Faecalibaculum, thereby reducing oxidative stress in rats with MGH. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of niclosamide on lipid metabolism and steroid hormone synthesis in adult female zebrafish

Niclosamide (NIC) is a commonly used molluscicide that reportedly disrupts the endocrine system and may lead to lipid metabolism disorders. However, few studies have investigated the mechanism by which NIC affects the endocrine system from the perspective of lipid metabolism. Adult female zebrafish were fed either a normal-fat diet (NFD) or a high-fat diet (HFD) and then exposed for 28 days to environmentally relevant concentrations of NIC. NIC accumulated most in the liver followed by the brain and then the gonads in both feeding conditions. Somatic index changes confirmed that HFD promotes fish growth, and NIC administration inhibits it. Lipid metabolites were decreased by NIC, as were levels of pregnenolone, androstenedione, estrogen, testosterone, and estradiol, suggesting that NIC impacted steroidogenesis. In addition, gene transcription changes related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad-liver (HPGL) axis and altered ovarian histology strongly suggest that environmental relevant concentrations of NIC exposure may disrupt endocrine function. These findings highlighted that NIC exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations elicited endocrine-disruption effects may through impairing of steroid hormone synthesis.

Modified Estrogen-Progesterone Induction Method of Mammary Gland Hyperplasia in Rats

In female Wistar rats, mammary gland hyperplasia (MGH) was modeled according to a modified protocol involving estrogen-progesterone induction and taking into account the duration of the estrous cycle of this animal species. MGH was induced over four 7-day cycles; each cycle included subcutaneous administration of 17β-estradiol (0.5 mg/kg) for 4 days, injection of progesterone (5 mg/kg) on day 5, then 2 days without injections. In females with MGH, a significant increase in the height and diameter of the nipples of the mammary glands was recorded, two types of changes were observed in the gland tissue: tubuloalveolar and lobuloalveolar hyperplasia. The study confirmed the development of MGH in rats by a modified method.

α-Cyperone ameliorates depression in mammary gland hyperplasia and chronic unpredictable mild stress rat by regulating hormone, inflammation, and oxidative stress

BACKGROUND

Hyperplasia of mammary gland (HMG) is caused by endocrine disorders, and patients are prone to anxiety and depression. α-Cyperone has a variety of pharmacological activities including antidepressant. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect and its possible mechanism of α-Cyperone on HMG-associated depression rats.

METHODS

The depression model was constructed using chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), while the HMG model was induced by estrogen, with or without α-Cyperone intervention. The effect of α-Cyperone on the depression-like phenotype of model rats was measured by sucrose preference test (SPT), forced swim test (FST), and open field test (OFT). Dendritic spines density in ventral medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) neurons was evaluated by Golgi staining. The second pair of nipple height, diameter, organ index, and oxidative stress-related factors were analyzed. Serum sex hormone concentration, histopathological changes, inflammatory factor expression, and p65 were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, real-time quantitative PCR and western blot, respectively.

RESULTS

The sucrose preference rate, dendritic spine density decreased, and immobility time increased in CUMS rats; α-Cyperone reversed the effect of CUMS on depression-like behavior and dendritic spine density in rats. α-Cyperone reduced nipple height and diameter, uterine index, estradiol concentration, increased ovary, thymus, spleen index, progesterone, and testosterone concentration, relieved pathological damage, oxidative stress, depression-like behavior, and inflammatory reaction in HMG combine CUMS rats. In addition, α-Cyperone inhibited the phosphorylation of p65 in HMG and CUMS rats.

CONCLUSIONS

α-Cyperone has an effective therapeutic effect on HMG combined with CUMS rats.

Effects of Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizoma polysaccharide on intestinal microbiota composition in rats with mammary gland hyperplasia

BACKGROUND

In recent years, mammary gland hyperplasia (MGH) has been considered to be one of the diseases caused by endocrine disorders. It has been shown that diseases caused by endocrine disorders can be treated by regulating intestinal microbial. As a commonly used medicine in clinical practice, Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizoma has good functions in regulating intestinal homeostasis. Therefore, this paper studied the effect of Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizoma polysaccharide (AMP) on the intestinal flora of MGH rats, providing a new idea for polysaccharide treatment of MGH.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighteen female SD rats were selected and randomly divided into three groups: blank control group (Con), model control group (Mod), and AMP group, six rats in each group. MGH rat models were established by estradiol-progesterone combination and treated with AMP gastric infusion. The levels of E₂, P, and PRL in the serum of rats were measured, the intestinal contents were collected, and 16s rRNA high- throughput sequencing technology was analyzed the changes of intestinal flora in the MGH rats.

RESULTS

AMP has good therapeutic effects on MGH rats, decreasing estradiol (E₂) and prolactin (PRL) levels and increasing progesterone (P) levels; at the same time, it can regulate the abundance and diversity of intestinal flora of MGH rats, improve the disorder of intestinal flora caused by MGH, and change the community structure, increase the abundance of beneficial flora, and decrease the abundance of pathogenic flora.

CONCLUSION

AMP can improve the intestinal microbiological environment of MGH rats, maintain the microecological balance of intestinal microbial, and improve MGH symptoms.

Therapeutic effects and mechanism of ferulic acid and icariin in mammary gland hyperplasia model rats via regulation of the ERK pathway

Background

Ferulic acid (FA) and icariin (ICA), as the active compounds derived from Angelica sinensis and Epimedium brevicornum Maxim, respectively, have been shown to promote blood circulation, regulate menstruation, exhibit anti-inflammatory effects, and modulate estrogen levels. The aim of this study was to elucidate the possible mechanism of FA, ICA, and FA-ICA on estrogen-induced mammary gland hyperplasia (MGH) in rats.

Methods

Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was performed to record the pathological changes in breast tissue, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was utilized to determine the serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), PRL (prolactin), testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), and progesterone (P). The message RNA (mRNA) expression levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2), estrogen receptor (ER), and progesterone receptor (PR) were detected by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. Furthermore, ER, phosphorylated-ER, PR, p-PR, ERK1/2, and p-ERK1/2 protein factors in the ERK signaling pathway were evaluated by Western blotting. Simultaneously, changes in breast height, diameter, body weight, and organ index were all recorded.

Results

We found that FA and ICA could modulate the degree of breast swelling, and reduce the body weight, thymus index, and uterus index. Furthermore, it could also block the pathological changes of MGH, including the number of mammary lobules, and the proliferation or expansion of acini and ducts. Moreover, treatment with FA and ICA remarkably down-regulated the serum expression levels of LH, PRL, T, and E2, as well as the mRNA expression levels of ERα, PR, ERK1, and ERK2. Additionally, protein levels of ERα, p-ERα, PR, p-PR, ERK1/2, and p-ERK1/2 in breast tissue were down-regulated, however the serum content of FSH and P was up-regulated.

Conclusions

Our outcomes revealed that FA and ICA might potentially inhibit ERα, PR, ERK1/2, and their phosphorylated proteins via the ERK signaling pathway, thus indicating a positive feedback control for the degree of breast hyperplasia.