天然产物研究与开发 ›› 2026, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (6): 1183-1191.doi: 10.16333/j.1001-6880.2026.6.004 cstr: 32307.14.1001-6880.2026.6.004

• 研究论文 • 上一篇    下一篇

淫羊藿苷对高脂饮食诱导小鼠睾丸支持细胞紧密连接功能损伤的保护作用及机制

卯润敏1,2†,高子惠1,3†,赵海霞1,3,李广森4,付国庆1,2*,张长城1,2*   

  1. 1三峡大学国家中医药管理局中医药理科研三级实验室;2三峡大学健康医学院;3三峡大学基础医学院,宜昌 443002;4成都中医药大学附属医院 代谢性疾病中医药调控四川省重点实验室,成都 611137
  • 出版日期:2026-06-26 发布日期:2026-06-24
  • 基金资助:
    成都中医药大学附属医院代谢性疾病中医药调控四川省重点实验室开放基金(WXLH202403057);国家自然科学基金(82505348)

Protective effect and mechanism of icariin on high-fat diet-induced injury of testicular Sertoli cell tight junction in mice

MAO Run-min1,2†,GAO Zi-hui1,3†,ZHAO Hai-xia1,3,LI Guang-sen4,FU Guo-qing1,2*,ZHANG Chang-cheng1,2*   

  1. 1Third-grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Traditional Chinese Medicine,State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine,China Three Gorges University; 2College of Medicine and Health Sciences,China Three Gorges University;3College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002,China;4Key Laboratory of TCM Regulation of Metabolic Diseases of Sichuan Province,Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Chengdu 611137, China
  • Online:2026-06-26 Published:2026-06-24

摘要:

探究淫羊藿苷对高脂饮食诱导小鼠睾丸支持细胞紧密连接功能损伤的保护作用及机制。7周龄的C57BL/6J雄性小鼠随机分为正常饮食组、高脂饮食模型组、淫羊藿苷低剂量组(3 mg/kg)、中剂量组(9 mg/kg)和高剂量组(27 mg/kg)。收集小鼠睾丸、附睾和精囊腺,计算脏器指数并检测精子浓度和活率;ELISA检测天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(aspartate aminotransferase,AST)、丙氨酸氨基转移酶(alanine aminotransferase,ALT)、γ-谷氨酰转移酶(gamma-glutamyl transferase,γ-GT)及血糖(glucose,GLU)水平以评估肝功能;HE染色观察小鼠睾丸形态学变化;Western blot检测睾丸紧密连接相关的闭合小带蛋白-1(zonula occludens-1,ZO-1)、闭锁蛋白(Occludin)和闭合蛋白-11(Claudin-11)的表达水平。体外采用棕榈酸处理小鼠睾丸支持细胞株(TM4)以构建紧密连接损伤模型,CCK-8法检测细胞活力并筛选淫羊藿素干预的低、中、高剂量分别为0.2、0.4、0.8 μmol/L;Western blot检测TM4细胞紧密连接相关蛋白、白介素-1β(interleukin-1β,IL-1β)、IL-18及核因子-κB(nuclear factor kappa-B,NF-κB)/核苷酸结合寡金属样受体蛋白3(NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3,NLRP3)通路相关蛋白表达水平;跨上皮电阻和异硫氰酸荧光素-葡聚糖检测细胞通透性;RT-qPCR检测炎症因子TNF-α、IL-6、IL-33 mRNA表达水平。动物实验结果显示,淫羊藿苷可显著提高模型组小鼠附睾指数、精子浓度和活率,改善睾丸组织形态和异常血清生化指标,上调紧密连接相关蛋白表达水平。体外实验结果显示,淫羊藿素可上调TM4细胞紧密连接相关蛋白表达,改善细胞通透性,并抑制TNF-α、IL-6、IL-33炎性因子mRNA表达水平及NF-κB/NLRP3通路相关蛋白表达水平。综上,淫羊藿苷可改善高脂饮食诱导小鼠睾丸支持细胞紧密连接功能损伤,其机制可能与减轻NF-κB/NLRP3信号通路介导的炎症反应有关。

关键词:

"> 淫羊藿苷;高脂饮食;支持细胞;紧密连接;炎症

Abstract:

This study aims to investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of icariin against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced impairment of Sertoli cell tight junction in mice. Seven-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal diet group, high-fat diet model group, and HFD groups supplemented with low-does group (3 mg/kg), medium-does group (9 mg/kg), and high-doses group (27 mg/kg) of icariin. Organ indices of the testes, epididymis, and seminal vesicles were calculated, and sperm concentration and motility were analyzed. The levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT), and glucose (GLU) in serum were measured by ELISA. Testicular morphology was examined by H&E staining, and the expression levels of tight junction proteins zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), Occludin, and Claudin-11 were detected by Western blot. In vitro, a tight junction injury model was established in mouse Sertoli cells (TM4) using palmitic acid. A CCK-8 assay was used to screen the optimal intervention doses of icaritin (0.2, 0.4, 0.8 μmol/L). Western blot was used to measure the expression levels of tight junction proteins, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-18, and key proteins in the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway in both mouse testes and TM4 cells. Transepithelial electrical resistance and fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran flux were assessed to monitor cell permeability, while RT-qPCR detected mRNA levels of the inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-33. In vivo results showed that icariin significantly improved the epididymal index, sperm concentration and motility, ameliorated testicular histopathology and serum biochemical abnormalities, and up-regulated the expression of tight junction proteins. In vitro experiments demonstrated that icariin upregulates the expression of tight junction-related proteins in TM4 cells, thereby improving cellular barrier integrity by reducing cell permeability. Concurrently, icaritin suppressed the mRNA expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-33), as well as the protein expression of key components of the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway. In conclusion, icariin alleviates HFD-induced damage to Sertoli cell tight junctions, potentially by mitigating the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway-mediated inflammatory response.

Key words:

 icariin; high-fat diet, Sertoli cells, tight junction, inflammation

中图分类号:  R965.1