Metabolic state can define the ovarian response to environmental contaminants and medicinal plants

Abstract

Environmental contaminants and medicinal plants can affect reproductive processes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of maternal metabolic status on the response of mouse ovaries to the environmental contaminants benzene and xylene, as well as to extracts of the medicinal plant yucca. Ovaries isolated from normal-lean and slightly obese mice were cultured with or without 0.1% benzene or xylene for 24 h. Similarly, ovaries isolated from normal-lean, slightly obese, and significantly obese mice were cultured for 24 h with or without an extract of Yucca shidigera (YS, 10 μ g/mL). We found that the metabolic status did not influence the release of basal progesterone (P4), testosterone (T), or insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), but obesity influenced the effects of the environmental contaminants and YS. Benzene reduced P4 output in ovaries from obese but not normal-lean mice; it also reduced IGF-I (but not T) release from ovaries irrespective of the metabolic status. Xylene dramatically increased P4 and T (but not IGF-I) release by ovaries from normal-lean mice, but there were no changes in P4 and only small increases in T output in obese mice. YS increased P4 (but not T or IGF-I) release in normal-lean and slightly obese animal ovaries, whilst significant obesity was associated with a lack of P4 response to YS. Obesity might affect the basal ovarian release of T or IGF-I and increases the sensitivity of ovaries to the action of benzene but decreases their responsiveness to xylene and YS.

Dietary Supplementation of Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) Alters Ovarian Functions of Xylene-Exposed Mice

“…Women exposed to aromatic hydrocarbons (e.g., xylene) had reduced levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) [ 6 , 7 ], follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and prostaglandin [ 6 ], as well as pregnanediol 3-glucuronide (pd3G) and estrone 3-glucuronide (E13G) [ 7 ]. In vitro studies showed that xylene was able to affect proliferation, apoptosis, and the release of steroids, peptide hormones, and prostaglandins by cultured murine [ 8 ], porcine [ 9 , 10 , 11 ], and bovine [ 12 ] ovarian cells. The adverse effects on the ovary could be due to the ability of xylene to induce oxidative stress and to affect the production and reception of steroid hormones, as well as the intracellular regulators of ovarian cell proliferation and apoptosis [ 2 ].…”

Can some food/medicinal plants directly affect porcine ovarian granulosa cells and mitigate the toxic effect of toluene?

“…The presence of PCNA and bax in the cells was detected by immunocytochemistry, as described previously (Sirotkin et al, 2021; Štochmaľová et al, 2018; Tarko et al, 2020), by using primary monoclonal antibodies against these molecules (all from Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., dilution 1:500), secondary swine antibodies against mouse IgG labelled with horseradish peroxidase (Servac, dilution of 1:1000) and visualized by staining with DAB substrate (Roche Diagnostics GmbH). According to the information of the manufacturer and our previous observations (Sirotkin et al, 2017, 2020, 2021; Štochmaľová et al, 2018; Tarko et al, 2020), these primary antibodies cross‐reacted with human, rat, murine, bovine, equine and porcine PCNA and bax. In some cases, the assay has been validated by these primary antibodies and secondary polyclonal goat antibodies against mouse IgGs labelled with the fluorescent marker fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC; Santa Cruz Biotechnology, dilution 1:1000).…”

“…each at 10 μg/mL or combinations of toluene (0, 1, 10 or 100 ng/mL) + one of the plant additives listed above (10 μg/mL). These doses correspond to the doses of toluene that could be available in environmental wasted water (Mrowiec, 2014) and the effective doses of toluene (Sirotkin et al, 2020; Tarko et al, 2020) and plant extracts (Ohyama et al, 2003; Sirotkin et al, 2017, 2020, 2021; Štochmaľová et al, 2018) used in previous in vitro experiments. Plant extracts were first dissolved in 50 μL of DMSO to reach stock solutions of 1 mg/mL plant extract.…”

Mojave Yucca (Yucca Schidigera Roezl) Effects on Female Reproduction a Review

“…The E2 output by ovarian fragments of rabbits [74] and sheep [81] was not influenced markedly. The release of IGF-I by rabbit [15] or ovine [81] ovaries was inhibited, although not affected in mice ovaries [71]. This contradictory research shows that there could be species-specific actions of yucca on ovarian steroidogenesis and that these effects are dose-dependent (Table 1).…”

“…It was found that yucca directly stimulated the release of P4 by porcine [73], rabbit [74], ovine [81], and murine [71] ovaries. The release of T was inhibited by yucca addition to cultured porcine granulosa cells [73], although it was not altered when added to rabbit [74] and ovine [81] ovarian fragments or mouse ovaries [71]. The E2 output by ovarian fragments of rabbits [74] and sheep [81] was not influenced markedly.…”