竹节参总皂苷改善高脂饮食诱导的小鼠睾丸生殖功能障碍

Protective mechanism of saponins of Panax Japonicus on high-fat diet induced reproductive dysfunction in mice

目的探讨竹节参总皂苷(saponins of Panax Japonicus,SPJ)改善高脂饮食诱导的小鼠睾丸生殖功能障碍的作用及机制。方法采用血球计数板于光镜下进行精子计数,伊红Y染色法检测精子存活率;苏木精伊红(HE)染色法检测小鼠睾丸组织形态;TUNEL法检测睾丸生精细胞的凋亡;Westernblot法检测睾丸组织内p-NF-κB及其下游炎症因子肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)和白细胞介素1β(IL-1β)的蛋白表达水平;免疫荧光法检测睾丸巨噬细胞数量。结果SPJ可减轻高脂饮食小鼠的体质量,提高睾丸和附睾的质量及其指数,提高精子存活率和精子数量,改善生精小管形态并减轻生精细胞的凋亡,明显下调p-NF-κB、TNF-α和IL-1β的蛋白表达水平,减少睾丸巨噬细胞的数量。结论SPJ对高脂饮食小鼠睾丸生殖功能障碍有明显改善作用,其机制可能与减轻巨噬细胞浸润,抑制NF-κB通路介导的睾丸炎症有关。

Aim To investigate the effects of saponins of Panax japonicus (SPJ) on high-fat diet induced reproductive dysfunction in mice and its underlying mechanisms.Methods Sperm viability and sperm count were assessed using hemocytometer and eosin Y staining under light microscope.Testicular morphology was evaluated by HE staining.Germ cell apoptosis was detected by deoxyribonucleotide terminal transferase-mediated(TUNEL).The relative protein expression levels of p-NF-κB,TNF-α and IL-1β were detected by Western blot.The numbers of testicular macrophages were assessed by immunofluorescence.Results Compared with high-fat model group,SPJ significantly reduced the body mass of mice,significantly increased the weight and index of testis and epididymis,elevated sperm viability and sperm count,improved the morphology of seminiferous tubules,and reduced germ cell the apoptosis.In addition,SPJ markedly decreased the relative protein expression levels of p-NF-κB,TNF-α and IL-1β,and reduced the numbers of testicular macrophages.Conclusions SPJ significantly improves high-fat diet induced reproductive dysfunction in male mice,and its mechanism may be related to the reduction of macrophage infiltration and inhibition of NF-κB pathway-mediated testicular inflammation.