The First Affiliated Hospital, Gynecology & Obstetrics and Reproductive Medical Center, Clinical Anatomy and Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China.
Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China.
PLoS One. 2024 Oct 25;19(10):e0312115. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0312115. eCollection 2024.
Patients with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have chronic low-grade ovarian inflammation. Inflammation can cause telomere dysfunction, and telomere and telomerase complex are also involved in regulating inflammation. However, the specific mechanisms of inflammatory signaling feedback and telomere-telomerase mutual regulation remain to be discovered. This study elucidates the role of Nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB)-Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) feedback in PCOS granulosa cell apoptosis. Using letrozole and a high-fat diet, a PCOS rat model was established, along with a Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -treated KGN cell inflammation model was established. NF-κB and TERT inhibitors (BAY 11-7082 and BIBR1532) were then administered to LPS-induced KGN cells. PCOS rats displayed disrupted estrous cycles, increased weight, elevated serum testosterone, cystic follicles, granulosa cell layer thinning, and reduced corpora lutea count (P are all less than 0.05). In PCOS rat ovaries, NF-κB, Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNF-α), TERT, Bax, and Caspase-3 exhibited notable upregulation, while Bcl-2 decreased, with telomere elongation (P are all less than 0.05). There were significant correlations among NF-κB-related inflammatory factors, TERT and apoptotic factors, and they were positively correlated with Bax and Caspase-3, and negatively correlated with Bcl-2 (P are all less than 0.05). LPS-treated KGN cells demonstrated increased expression of inflammatory and pro-apoptotic factors, later restored post-treatment with NF-κB and TERT inhibitors (P are all less than 0.05). In conclusion, TERT may induce granulosa cell apoptosis by participating in the regulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby mediating the chronic inflammatory response of PCOS through downstream inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α.
多囊卵巢综合征(PCOS)患者存在慢性低度卵巢炎症。炎症可导致端粒功能障碍,端粒和端粒酶复合物也参与炎症的调节。然而,炎症信号反馈和端粒-端粒酶相互调节的具体机制仍有待发现。本研究阐明了核因子 kappa-B(NF-κB)-端粒酶逆转录酶(TERT)反馈在 PCOS 颗粒细胞凋亡中的作用。使用来曲唑和高脂肪饮食建立 PCOS 大鼠模型,并建立脂多糖(LPS)处理的 KGN 细胞炎症模型。然后向 LPS 诱导的 KGN 细胞中给予 NF-κB 和 TERT 抑制剂(BAY 11-7082 和 BIBR1532)。PCOS 大鼠表现出发情周期紊乱、体重增加、血清睾酮升高、囊性卵泡、颗粒细胞层变薄和黄体数减少(均 P 均小于 0.05)。在 PCOS 大鼠卵巢中,NF-κB、白细胞介素-6(IL-6)、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)、TERT、Bax 和 Caspase-3 明显上调,而 Bcl-2 下调,端粒延长(均 P 均小于 0.05)。NF-κB 相关炎症因子、TERT 和凋亡因子之间存在显著相关性,它们与 Bax 和 Caspase-3 呈正相关,与 Bcl-2 呈负相关(均 P 均小于 0.05)。LPS 处理的 KGN 细胞表现出炎症和促凋亡因子表达增加,随后用 NF-κB 和 TERT 抑制剂处理后恢复(均 P 均小于 0.05)。总之,TERT 可能通过参与 NF-κB 信号通路的调节来诱导颗粒细胞凋亡,从而通过下游炎症因子 IL-6 和 TNF-α介导 PCOS 的慢性炎症反应。
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