Abstract Background Several studies have shown that coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) can rescue ovarian aging and that ovarian surface epithelium (OSE)-derived ovarian stem cells (OSCs) are useful for treating infertility due to ovarian aging. However, few studies have examined the effect of CoQ10 on OSCs. This study was aimed to investigate whether CoQ10 activates OSCs and recovers ovarian function in a 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD)-induced mouse model of ovarian failure. Methods Forty female C57BL/6 mice aged 6 weeks were randomly divided into four groups ( n = 10/group): a control group administered saline orally, a CoQ10 group administered 150 mg/kg/day of CoQ10 orally in 1 mL of saline daily for 14 days, a VCD group administered 160 mg/kg/day of VCD i.p. in 2.5 mL of saline/kg for 5 days, and a VCD + CoQ10 group administered VCD i.p. for 5 days injection and CoQ10 (150 mg/kg/day) orally for 14 days. After treatment, follicle counts were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and ovarian mRNA expressions of Bmp-15, Gdf-9, and c-Kit were examined by quantitative real-time PCR. Serum FSH, AMH, and ROS levels were also measured. Oocyte-like structure counts and the expressions of Oct-4 and MVH were also evaluated after culturing OSE for 3 weeks. In a second experiment, 32 female mice were administered CoQ10 as described above, induced to superovulate using PMSG and hCG, and mated. Numbers of zygotes and embryo development rate were examined. Results Postcultured OSE showed significant increases in the numbers of oocyte-like structure and that the expression of Oct-4 and MVH were higher in the VCD + CoQ10 group than in the VCD group ( p < 0.05). Numbers of surviving follicles from primordial to antral follicles, numbers of zygotes retrieved and embryo development rate to blastocyst were significantly greater in the VCD + CoQ10 group than in the VCD group ( p < 0.01). Serum AMH level and ovarian expressions of Bmp-15, Gdf-9 and c-Kit were also significantly greater in the VCD + CoQ10 group than in the VCD group ( p < 0.05). In contrast, serum ROS level was significantly lower in the VCD + CoQ10 group than in the VCD group ( p < 0.05). Conclusion This study shows that CoQ10 stimulates the differentiation of OSE-derived OSCs and confirms that CoQ10 can reduce ROS levels and improve ovarian function and oocyte quality in mice with VCD-induced ovarian failure.
Choline alfoscerate, a cholinergic precursor, is widely used in Korea for dementia-related symptoms and is covered by national health insurance (NHI). This study investigates the utilization trends and factors influencing choline alfoscerate prescription in newly diagnosed Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients using real-world data.
Botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT/A) is the most potent protein toxin and causes fatal flaccid muscle paralysis by blocking neurotransmission. Application of BoNT/A has been extended to the fields of therapeutics and biodefense. Nevertheless, the global response of host immune cells to authentic BoNT/A has not been reported. Employing microarray analysis, we performed global transcriptional profiling of RAW264.7 cells, a murine alveolar macrophage cell line. We identified 70 genes that were modulated following 1 nM BoNT/A treatment. The altered genes were mainly involved in signal transduction, immunity and defense, protein metabolism and modification, neuronal activities, intracellular protein trafficking, and muscle contraction. Microarray data were validated with real-time RT-PCR for seven selected genes including tlr2, tnf, inos, ccl4, slpi, stx11, and irg1. Proinflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) were induced in a dose-dependent manner in BoNT/A-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Increased expression of these factors was inhibited by monoclonal anti-Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and inhibitors specific to intracellular proteins such as c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK), and p38 mitogen–activated protein kinase (MAPK). BoNT/A also suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced NO and TNFα production from RAW264.7 macrophages at the transcription level by blocking activation of JNK, ERK, and p38 MAPK. As confirmed by TLR2-/- knock out experiments, these results suggest that BoNT/A induces global gene expression changes in host immune cells and that host responses to BoNT/A proceed through a TLR2-dependent pathway, which is modulated by JNK, ERK, and p38 MAPK.
Objective: This exploratory study was undertaken to analyze the anxiety of parents of prenatally diagnosed fetal congenital disease and satisfaction after the multidisciplinary counseling. Methods: The study included 32 prospective parents of antenatally diagnosed congenital disease fetus who received multidisciplinary counseling at The Catholic Congenital Disease Center (CCDC) for the period from May, 2009 through March, 2010. The Korean version of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was utilized to assess parental anxiety. Categories of satisfaction survey were classified into accessibility, professionalism, empathy, recoverability, satisfaction, and expectation after counseling. Results: The mean time and number of medical professionals for each counseling were 58.0±36.9 min and 3.5±1.1 persons. Most common congenital diseases were cardiovascular (36.1%) and urogenital diseases (25.0%). STAI scores were significantly decreased after than before counseling (43.5±5.9 vs 36.9±6.0, P=0.0007). STAI scores after counseling showed significant decrease in prospective mothers who were nulliparous (P=0.0005), less than 35 years old (P=0.0014), had religion (P=0.0014) and counseled more than 40 minutes (P=0.0027). The mean rate of positive satisfactory response about multidisciplinary counseling was 85.6% in satisfaction survey. Conclusion: This study provides evidence of the positive impact on the prospective parental anxiety of a multidisciplinary counseling in prenatal management of fetal congenital diseases.
African swine fever virus (ASFV) genotype II is endemic to Vietnam. We detected recombinant ASFV genotypes I and II (rASFV I/II) strains in domestic pigs from 6 northern provinces in Vietnam. The introduction of rASFV I/II strains could complicate ongoing ASFV control measures in the region.
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