Sheng Jing Decoction, as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescription, Can Promote Spermatogenesis and Increase Sperm Motility
Abstract BackgroundSheng Jing Decoction (SJD), as a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, is mainly be used to treat male infertility. It has been applied in many hospitals in China, and the clinical effect of patients' reaction is satisfactory. However, pharmacological function and molecular mechanism of SJD are poorly understood. In this study, mainly investigated the function of SJD on spermatogenesis and sperm motility, and explored the potential mechanisms.MethodsThe oligozoospermia model of ICR mice was induced by injecting intraperitoneally (ip) with 60 mg/kg dose of cyclophosphamide. At the same time of modeling, high, medium and low doses of SJD were given orally for treatment respectively. Sperm vitality and motility were detected and analyzed by CASA, and sperm morphology was tested by Papanicolaou staining. Sperm mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was tested by JC-1 staining. Sperm plasma membrane integrity was determined by SYBR-14/PI double staining. Histopathological changes of testis were analyzed by HE staining and Immunohistochemistry. Genes expression related to spermatogenesis and sperm development were detected by real-time RT-PCR.Results High, medium and low doses of SJD are effective to recover from the impairment of the whole body and testicular tissue by cyclophosphamide inducing, and to rescue the damage of testicular tissue cells including sertoli cells and germ cells by cyclophosphamide inducing. SJD can all partly restore the decrease in sperm concentration, sperm vitality, sperm motility and normal sperm morphology rate by cyclophosphamide inducing. Ki67 staining analyses confirm SJD can promoted testicular tissue cells proliferation. Real-time RT-PCR analyses reveal SJD can up-regulates the expression of proliferation-associated gene Lin28a, and differentiation-associated genes Kit, Sohlh2 and Stra8. SJD can also reduce the impairment of MMP and sperm plasma membrane integrity by cyclophosphamide inducing.ConclusionSJD is effective to support sperm quantity and quality by increasing sperm concentration, sperm vitality, sperm motility and normal sperm morphology rate. SJD can promote spermatogenesis by up-regulating the expression of the proliferation-associated gene Lin28a, and the differentiation-associated genes (Kit, Sohlh2 and Stra8). SJD can sustain MMP and sperm plasma membrane integrity to increase sperm motility.