Effects of Bushen Tongmai Recipe on protein kinase Balpha expression in polycystic ovary rats with insulin resistance.
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effects of Bushen Tongmai Recipe (, BSTMR) on mRNA and protein expressions of protein kinase B alpha (PKB alpha) in hepatic, adipose, muscular, and ovarian tissues of polycystic ovary (PCO) rats with insulin resistance (IR) and to explore the possible molecular mechanism of BSTMR in treating IR and ovulation dysfunction.


METHODS
Female 22-day-old SD rats were injected subcutaneously with sodium prasterone sulfate (9 mg.100g(-1).d(-1)) for 20 days and fed with high-fat diet for 80 days to induce PCO rats with IR. Then, the PCO rats were randomly divided into the model group (n=23) and the treated group (n=21). The treated group was administered with BSTMR for 2 weeks. Meanwhile, a group with 15 rats of the same age was used as the control group. The histological changes in the ovaries were examined. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) was determined by the glucose oxidase method. Serum fasting insulin (Fins) was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The mRNA level of PKBalpha was measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Immunohistochemistry staining and Western blot analysis were employed to detect the protein expression in target tissues.


RESULTS
Compared with the control group, the ovaries in the model group showed multiple follicular cysts, levels of FBG and Fins in the model group increased markedly (P<0.05 or P<0.01, respectively), and the insulin sensitive index (ISI) decreased obviously (P<0.01). The mRNA and protein expressions of PKBalpha in target tissues in the model group were dramatically lower than those in the control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the stratum granulosum of the ovarian follicle in the treated group increased markedly, the level of Fins in the treated group decreased obviously (P<0.01), ISI in the treated group improved markedly (P<0.01), and the mRNA and protein expressions of PKBalpha in target tissues of the treated rats were elevated significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
BSTMR could improve IR and ovulation dysfunction in PCO rats with IR, and its molecular mechanisms might be closely related with the elevation of mRNA and protein expressions of PKBalpha in target tissues of PCO rats with IR.
Li
Qiong
Q
Institute of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Affiliated to Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Huang
Dong-mei
DM
Lu
Fu-er
FE
Xie
Yang
Y
Xu
Li-jun
LJ
Zou
Xin
X
Gong
Di
D
Wang
Zeng-si
ZS
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000187:drug effects; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D001786:Blood Glucose; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007328:Insulin; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C553678:bushen tongmai; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt