title: [Effect of bushen tiaojing recipe on the expressions of Smad1, Smad5, Smad8, and Smad4 in human mural granulosa cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effect of Bushen Tiaojing Recipe (BTR) on the expressions of drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic protein (Smadl), Smad5, Smad8, and Smad4 on human mural granulosa cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-six patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) were randomly assigned to two groups in the ratio of 1:2, the treatment group and the control group. Twenty-three patients in the treatment group were treated with BTR and GnRHa/FSH/hCG, while forty-three patients in the control group were treated with GnRHa/FSH/hCG. The mRNA expressions of Smad1, Smad5, Smad8, and Smad4 on mural granulosa cells of the mature follicle were detected by real-time PCR on the ovum retrieval day. The expressions of Smad1, Smad5, Smad8, and Smad4 at the protein level were observed using cell immunofluorescence method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mRNA and protein expressions of Smadl in the granulosa cells were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group (P <0.05). There was no statistical difference in the mRNA and protein expressions of Smad5, Smad8, and Smad4 between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mechanisms of BTR for improving the pregnancy rate and the ovarian functions might be correlated with up-regulating mRNA and protein expressions of Smadl of human mural granulosa cells.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Gynecology, Institute of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050091, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Sheng-Nan
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xiu-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hui-lan
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000166:cytology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051898:Smad1 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051901:Smad4 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051902:Smad5 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051904:Smad8 Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C497399:SMAD1 protein, human; C497796:SMAD4 protein, human; C497797:SMAD5 protein, human; C107514:SMAD9 protein, human; D051898:Smad1 Protein; D051901:Smad4 Protein; D051902:Smad5 Protein; D051904:Smad8 Protein