Qing, W. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2021

Effects of electroacupuncture on the expression of hypothalamic neuropeptide Y and ghrelin in pubertal rats with polycystic ovary syndrome

BackgroundPolycystic ovary syndrome often starts in puberty, and its pathogenesis is not clear. This study aimed to explore the pathogenesis of pubertal polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and assess the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture on pubertal PCOS. MethodsDihydrotestosterone (DHT) was used to induce rat models of pubertal PCOS. pubertal rats with PCOS were randomly divided into a model group (M), an electroacupuncture group (EA), and a sham acupuncture group (SA). Age-matched normal rats were regarded as normal controls (N). Rats were treated with EA or SA five times a week for 25 minutes during their 6th-7th week. At the end of the experiment, we observed any changes in ovarian morphology; detected levels of metabolic indices in serum, the hypothalamus and pancreas. ResultsEA significantly improved estrous cycle disorders and the ovarian polycystic morphology in pubertal rats with PCOS, but SA only improved disorders of the estrous cycle. The serum levels of insulin, neuropeptide Y(NPY) and fasting blood glucose(FBG) increased significantly, while the serum levels of ghrelin(GHRL) decreased in the model group. After treatment with EA, the levels of NPY and FBG went into decrease, whereas the levels of GHRL and insulin increased. There was few differences in the hypothalamic expression of galanin (GAL), galanin-like peptide (GALP) and ghrelin receptor(GHSR) between the four groups. The upregulation of NPY mRNA and neuropeptide Y2 receptor(NPY2R) mRNA and the downregulation of GHRL protein and mRNA in the hypothalamus, and the increased expression of NPY and NPY2R as well as the decreased expression of GHRL in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) can be rescued by EA. But, surprisingly, SA seem to make no difference to the levels of FBG and insulin, and the protein expression of ghrelin in the hypothalamus and ARC. Co-expression of kisspeptin and GHSR, and co-expression of gonadotrophin releasing hormone(GnRH) and NPY2R were observed in ARC. No differences were found between groups in protein of GAL, GALP and GHRL expression in the pancreas. Neither EA nor SA can attenuate the upregulated kisspeptin protein expression in the pancreas of PCOS model rats. ConclusionsEA and SA improved the symptoms of pubertal PCOS rats, and the mechanism might be associated with regulating hypothalamic NPY and ghrelin levels.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2021

Large-scale characterisation of the pregnancy vaginal microbiome and sialidase activity in a low-risk Chinese population

Vaginal microbiota-host interactions are linked to preterm birth (PTB), which continues to be the primary cause of global childhood mortality. Despite the majority of PTB occuring in Asia, studies of the pregnancy vaginal microbiota are largely limited to Northern American and European populations. Here, we characterised the vaginal microbiome of 2689 pregnant Chinese women using metataxonomics and in a subset (n=823), the relationship between vaginal microbiota composition, sialidase activity and leukocyte presence and pregnancy outcomes. Vaginal microbiota were most frequently dominated by Lactobacillus crispatus or L. iners, with the latter associated with vaginal leukocyte presence. Women with high sialidase activity were enriched for bacterial vaginosis-associated genera including Gardnerella, Atopobium and Prevotella. Vaginal microbiota composition, high sialidase activity and/or leukocyte presence was not associated with PTB risk suggesting underlying differences in the vaginal microbiota and/or host immune responses of Chinese women, possibly accounting for low PTB rates in this population. ImportanceSpecific vaginal microorganisms or vaginal microbiota, are associated with preterm birth, which is the primary cause of death in children under 5yrs of age worldwide. Despite most preterm births occuring in Asia, almost all studies of the pregnancy vaginal microbiota have been limited to Northern American and European women. Here, we studied the vaginal microbiota in a large cohort of 2689 pregnant Chinese women and showed that it was most frequently dominated by Lactobacillus crispatus or L. iners. The latter was associated with leukocyte infiltration of vaginal secretions. Women with high activity of the enzyme sialidase, were frequently colonised by species associated with the common condition bacterial vaginosis, including Gardnerella, Atopobium and Prevotella species. Vaginal microbiota, high sialidase activity and/or leukocyte presence was not associated with preterm birth risk indicating differences in the microbe-host immune responses of Chinese women, possibly explaining why preterm birth rates in this population are low.

systems biology↗