Berberine promotes primordial follicle activation and increases ovulated oocyte quantity in aged mice
Abstract Background Primordial follicle activation is vital for the reproduction of women with advanced age and premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). But there is a lack of effective and safe therapeutic options to activate their primordial follicles in vivo. Berberine (BBR) possesses multiple phar...
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2024-12-01
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| Series: | Molecular Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-024-01042-z |
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| author | Shuang Liu Weiyong Wang Huiyu Liu Hongwei Wei Yashuang Weng Wenjun Zhou Xiaodan Zhang Sihui He Ye Chen Yahong Wang Meijia Zhang Xin Chen |
| author_facet | Shuang Liu Weiyong Wang Huiyu Liu Hongwei Wei Yashuang Weng Wenjun Zhou Xiaodan Zhang Sihui He Ye Chen Yahong Wang Meijia Zhang Xin Chen |
| author_sort | Shuang Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Primordial follicle activation is vital for the reproduction of women with advanced age and premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). But there is a lack of effective and safe therapeutic options to activate their primordial follicles in vivo. Berberine (BBR) possesses multiple pharmacological properties, but its impact on primordial follicle activation remains unclear. Methods The role of BBR on primordial activation was investigated by neonatal mouse ovary culture and intraperitoneal injection, and by human ovarian fragment culture. Furthermore, the effect of BBR on the quantity of ovulated oocytes was investigated by the intragastric administration of aged mice. Results BBR in vitro culture and in vivo intraperitoneal injection significantly increased growing follicle number and phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt) levels in neonatal mouse ovaries. BBR also significantly increased the relative fluorescence intensities of p-Akt in the oocytes of primordial follicles. BBR-increased the number of growing follicles and the levels of p-Akt were blocked by LY294002, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). Furthermore, BBR intragastric administration significantly increased the quantity of ovulated oocytes in aged mice. Moreover, BBR significantly increased growing follicle proportion and p-Akt levels in cultured human ovarian fragments. Conclusion BBR promotes mouse and human primordial follicle activation through the PI3K/Akt pathway in oocytes, and improves the quantity of ovulated oocytes in aged mice. Our results suggest a potential use of oral medicine BBR to improve fertility in POI patients and aged women. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-54f9aac0fd0445da9c2d68676eb07c10 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1528-3658 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecular Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-54f9aac0fd0445da9c2d68676eb07c102024-12-22T12:32:20ZengBMCMolecular Medicine1528-36582024-12-0130111310.1186/s10020-024-01042-zBerberine promotes primordial follicle activation and increases ovulated oocyte quantity in aged miceShuang Liu0Weiyong Wang1Huiyu Liu2Hongwei Wei3Yashuang Weng4Wenjun Zhou5Xiaodan Zhang6Sihui He7Ye Chen8Yahong Wang9Meijia Zhang10Xin Chen11The Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of TechnologyThe Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of TechnologyThe Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of TechnologyThe Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of TechnologyThe Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of TechnologyThe Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of TechnologyThe Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of TechnologyThe Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of TechnologyThe Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of TechnologyReproductive Medicine Center, Shunde Hospital of Southern Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Shunde)The Innovation Centre of Ministry of Education for Development and Diseases, School of Medicine, South China University of TechnologyReproductive Medicine Center, Shunde Hospital of Southern Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Shunde)Abstract Background Primordial follicle activation is vital for the reproduction of women with advanced age and premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). But there is a lack of effective and safe therapeutic options to activate their primordial follicles in vivo. Berberine (BBR) possesses multiple pharmacological properties, but its impact on primordial follicle activation remains unclear. Methods The role of BBR on primordial activation was investigated by neonatal mouse ovary culture and intraperitoneal injection, and by human ovarian fragment culture. Furthermore, the effect of BBR on the quantity of ovulated oocytes was investigated by the intragastric administration of aged mice. Results BBR in vitro culture and in vivo intraperitoneal injection significantly increased growing follicle number and phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt) levels in neonatal mouse ovaries. BBR also significantly increased the relative fluorescence intensities of p-Akt in the oocytes of primordial follicles. BBR-increased the number of growing follicles and the levels of p-Akt were blocked by LY294002, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). Furthermore, BBR intragastric administration significantly increased the quantity of ovulated oocytes in aged mice. Moreover, BBR significantly increased growing follicle proportion and p-Akt levels in cultured human ovarian fragments. Conclusion BBR promotes mouse and human primordial follicle activation through the PI3K/Akt pathway in oocytes, and improves the quantity of ovulated oocytes in aged mice. Our results suggest a potential use of oral medicine BBR to improve fertility in POI patients and aged women.https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-024-01042-zBerberinePrimordial follicle activationAktPremature ovarian insufficiency |
| spellingShingle | Shuang Liu Weiyong Wang Huiyu Liu Hongwei Wei Yashuang Weng Wenjun Zhou Xiaodan Zhang Sihui He Ye Chen Yahong Wang Meijia Zhang Xin Chen Berberine promotes primordial follicle activation and increases ovulated oocyte quantity in aged mice Molecular Medicine Berberine Primordial follicle activation Akt Premature ovarian insufficiency |
| title | Berberine promotes primordial follicle activation and increases ovulated oocyte quantity in aged mice |
| title_full | Berberine promotes primordial follicle activation and increases ovulated oocyte quantity in aged mice |
| title_fullStr | Berberine promotes primordial follicle activation and increases ovulated oocyte quantity in aged mice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Berberine promotes primordial follicle activation and increases ovulated oocyte quantity in aged mice |
| title_short | Berberine promotes primordial follicle activation and increases ovulated oocyte quantity in aged mice |
| title_sort | berberine promotes primordial follicle activation and increases ovulated oocyte quantity in aged mice |
| topic | Berberine Primordial follicle activation Akt Premature ovarian insufficiency |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-024-01042-z |
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