title: Icariin stimulates the proliferation of rat Sertoli cells in an ERK1/2-dependent manner in vitro.
abstract: Icariin (ICA), a major constituent of flavonoids from the Chinese medical herb Epimedium brevicornum Maxim, is found to be protective for male reproductive ability, with the underlying mechanism largely unknown. Our study here investigated the effects of ICA on Sertoli cells, which act as nurse cells for the germ cells developing. Icariin was found to stimulate Sertoli cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Further study revealed that Icariin induced an obvious phosphorylation of ERK in Sertoli cells. Inhibition of activation of ERK by the ERK inhibitor U0126 nearly blocked the Icariin-induced proliferation of Sertoli cells. Taken together, our results suggest that Icariin promotes the proliferation of Sertoli cells in vitro by activating the ERK1/2 signal pathway, which might at least partially, explain the protective role of Icariin on male reproductive ability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, Xijing Hospital affiliated to the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nan
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, Xijing Hospital affiliated to the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, Xijing Hospital affiliated to the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Center of Infectious Diseases, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Tanesthesia, Xijing Hospital affiliated to the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, Xijing Hospital affiliated to the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, Xijing Hospital affiliated to the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; C056599:icariin
keywords: ERK; Icariin; Sertoli cell; proliferation