Department of TCM Andrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China.
Department of Andrology, Zhuhai Hospital, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese medicine, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519015, China.
Biomed Pharmacother. 2021 Jul;139:111514. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111514. Epub 2021 May 2.
Male immune infertility is a kind of disease that damages family life and happiness. The development of novel methods treating male immune infertility is of great significance. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of Chinese medicine Xiaokang Liuwei Dihuang decoction on immune infertility of male rats and explored the involved mechanisms. Model rats were established by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. Anti-sperm antibody (AsAb) was detected by ELISA assay and testicular cell apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL staining to verify the successful model establishment and screen suitable doses of Xiaokang Liuwei Dihuang decoction. Thirty rats were then divided into five groups (n = 6 per group): Control, LPS, Xiaokang Liuwei Dihuang decoction (15.12 g/kg, 30.24 g/kg and 45.36 g/kg). Results of HE staining showed that compared with LPS group, Xiaokang Liuwei Dihuang decoction treatments gradually improved the morphology of seminiferous tubules and elevated the number of spermatogenic cells as the doses increased. The sperm number and the levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in the serum of 15.12 g/kg, 30.24 g/kg and 45.36 g/kg Xiaokang Liuwei Dihuang decoction groups were much higher than those in LPS group. Results of TUNEL staining, ELISA assay and western blot showed that compared with LPS group, the testicular cell apoptosis and the levels of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), AsAb, malondialdehyde (MDA) and toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) in the testicular tissue significantly decreased in three Xiaokang Liuwei Dihuang decoction groups. Compared with LPS group, Bax expression in the 30.24 g/kg and 45.36 g/kg Xiaokang Liuwei Dihuang decoction groups was significantly down-regulated as well. In conclusion, Xiaokang Liuwei Dihuang decoction might ameliorate the immune infertility of male rats induced by LPS through regulating the levels of sex hormones, reactive oxygen species, pro-apoptotic and immune factors.
男性免疫性不育是一种损害家庭生活和幸福的疾病。开发治疗男性免疫性不育的新方法具有重要意义。本研究旨在探讨中药消抗六味地黄汤治疗雄性大鼠免疫性不育的疗效，并探讨其相关机制。通过脂多糖（LPS）注射建立模型大鼠。通过 ELISA 检测抗精子抗体（AsAb），通过 TUNEL 染色评估睾丸细胞凋亡，以验证模型建立的成功，并筛选合适剂量的消抗六味地黄汤。然后将 30 只大鼠分为 5 组（每组 6 只）：对照组、LPS 组、消抗六味地黄汤（15.12g/kg、30.24g/kg 和 45.36g/kg）。HE 染色结果表明，与 LPS 组相比，消抗六味地黄汤治疗后，随着剂量的增加，生精小管的形态逐渐改善，生精细胞数量增加。15.12g/kg、30.24g/kg 和 45.36g/kg 消抗六味地黄汤组的精子数量以及血清中睾酮、黄体生成素（LH）和卵泡刺激素（FSH）水平均明显高于 LPS 组。TUNEL 染色、ELISA 检测和 Western blot 结果表明，与 LPS 组相比，消抗六味地黄汤组睾丸细胞凋亡以及睾丸组织中白细胞介素 1β（IL-1β）、肿瘤坏死因子α（TNF-α）、AsAb、丙二醛（MDA）和 toll 样受体 2（TLR2）水平均显著降低。与 LPS 组相比，30.24g/kg 和 45.36g/kg 消抗六味地黄汤组 Bax 表达也明显下调。综上所述，消抗六味地黄汤可能通过调节性激素、活性氧、促凋亡和免疫因子水平改善 LPS 诱导的雄性大鼠免疫性不育。
