The effect of semen cuscutae flavonoid on Sertoli cells and blood-testis barrier in male infertility: integrating network pharmacology and experimental verification.

Context: Semen cuscutae is commonly used to treat male infertility (MI), and semen cuscutae flavonoid (SCF) is the main active component of semen cuscutae. The therapeutic mechanism of SCF on MI is still unclear.

Objective: To clarify the mechanisms of SCF against MI.

Probing the Potential Mechanism of Quercetin and Kaempferol against Heat Stress-Induced Sertoli Cell Injury: Through Integrating Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation.

Quercetin and kaempferol are flavonoids widely present in fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants. They have attracted much attention due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, and neuroprotective properties. As the guarantee cells in direct contact with germ cells, Sertoli cells exert the role of support, nutrition, and protection in spermatogenesis.

[Electroacupuncture improves glucose and lipid metabolism by regulating APN/AMPK/PPARα signaling of skeletal muscle in Zucker diabetic obese rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on skeletal muscle adiponectin receptor (Adipor1) / adenylate activated protein kinase (AMPK) / peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) signaling pathway and skeletal muscle morphology by the secretion of serum adiponectin in Zucker diabetic obese (ZDF) rats, so as to explore its mechanism underlying regulating glucose and lipid metabolism of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and improving skeletal muscle insulin resistance (IR).

Methods: Twelve male ZDF rats and six Zucker thin (ZL) rats were selected. The rats were fed with Purina#5008 high-fat diet for four weeks to induce T2DM model after adaptive feeding with normal diet for one week.

[Extracellular vesicles and male reproduction: Advances in studies].

The transportation of extracellular vesicles (EV) is a newly discovered mechanism of cellular communication, which plays a biological role by interacting with cell surface receptors, endocytosis and direct fusion with target cell membranes. In the field of reproduction, experimental studies have found that EVs can influence the phenotypes and functions of receptor cells related to male reproduction and affect male reproductive health via transferring biological information carriers such as functional proteins and non-coding RNAs. This review focuses on the relationship between EVs and male reproduction from the perspectives of the testis, epididymis, semen, seminal vesicle and prostate, which are closely related to male reproduction, and discusses the new mechanisms affecting male reproductive health from the perspective of EVs.

Wuzi-Yanzong prescription alleviates spermatogenesis disorder induced by heat stress dependent on Akt, NF-κB signaling pathway.

Akt and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways are involved in germ cell apoptosis and inflammation after testicular heat stress (THS). We observed that after THS induced by the exposure of rat testes to 43 °C for 20 min, their weight decreased, the fraction of apoptotic testicular germ cells significantly increased, and the proliferation of germ cells was inhibited. In addition, THS lowered serum testosterone (T) level, whereas the levels of follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone were not significantly changed.

Effect of Wuzi Yanzong Pills on Sertoli cells and blood-testis barrier in heat-stressed rats based on Akt signalling pathway.

The blood-testis barrier (BTB) of Sertoli cells (SCs) is an important biological barrier that maintains spermatogenesis and provides a favourable microenvironment for spermatogenesis. However, heat stress can directly damage the BTB structural proteins of testicular SCs, leading to dyszoospermia. Wuzi Yanzong Pills (WYP) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula used to treat male reproductive diseases.