Baicalin improves the functions of granulosa cells and the ovary in aged mice through the mTOR signaling pathway

作者：Huiying Fan, Jiahuan He, Yucheng Bai, Qina He, Tongwei Zhang, Junya Zhang, Guang Yang, Ziwen Xu, Jingyi Hu, Guidong Yao · 发表于：Journal of Ovarian Research · 年份：2022 · DOI：10.1186/s13048-022-00965-7 · 被引用次数：39 · 研究领域：Flavonoids in Medical Research、Ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment、Medicinal Plant Pharmacodynamics Research

BACKGROUND: The mammalian follicle is the basic functional unit of the ovary, and its normal development is required to obtaining oocytes capable of fertilization. As women get older or decline in ovarian function due to certain pathological factors, the growth and development of follicles becomes abnormal, which ultimately leads to infertility and other related female diseases. Kuntai capsules are currently used in clinical practice to improve ovarian function, and they contain the natural compound Baicalin, which is a natural compound with important biological activities. At present, the role and mechanism of Baicalin in the development of ovarian follicles is unclear. METHODS: Human primary granulosa cells collected from follicular fluid, and then cultured and treated with Baicalin or its normal control, assessed for viability, subjected to RT-PCR, western blotting, flow cytometry, and hormone analyses. The estrus cycle and oocytes of CD-1 mice were studied after Baicalin administration and compared with controls. Ovaries were collected from the mice and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry analysis. RESULTS: We showed that Baicalin had a dose-dependent effect on granulosa cells cultured in vitro. A low concentration of Baicalin (for example, 10 μM) helped to maintain the viability of granulosa cells; however, at a concentration exceeding 50 μM, it exerted a toxic effect. A low concentration significantly improved the viability of granulosa cell...