Abstract
Background The modified Bushen Antai recipe (BSAT) is a centuries-old traditional Chinese medicine that we use in our center as a therapy against pregnancy loss. Our study aimed to explore the potential benefit and mechanism of BSAT in pregnant rats with mifepristone-induced pregnancy loss. Materials and Methods The signature compounds of the eight BSAT ingredients were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The BSAT group (n = 8) was treated daily with 6.3 ml/kg BSAT from gestation day (D) 0.5 to 10.5 and once with 1.25 mg/kg mifepristone on D 10.5. Normal saline replaced BSAT in the model group (n = 8), and both BSAT and mifepristone in the control group (n = 8). Morphological and histological analyses were performed on D 13.5. Results BSAT contains eight medicinal ingredients including Cuscuta chinensis and Dipsacus asperoides. The HPLC analysis detected the signature compounds of seven medicinal ingredients in the extract. Embryo resorption rate in the BSAT group was significantly lower than that in the model group, although the number of surviving embryos was similar between the two groups. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining suggested that the maximum cross-sectional area of the placenta and the area ratio of the placental labyrinth in the BSAT group were higher than those in the model group. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining indicated that the expression of ki67, estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), and progesterone receptor (PR) in the placental labyrinth of the BSAT group was higher than that of the model group. Furthermore, the protein levels of ERα, PR, phospho-Akt/Akt, and phospho-Erk1/2/Erk1/2 in the BSAT group were higher than those in the control group. The mRNA levels of ERα and PR in the BSAT group were higher than those in the control group. Conclusions BSAT may induce estrogen and progesterone receptors by phosphorylation via the classic Akt and Erk1/2 signaling pathways in the maternal-fetal interface of pregnant rats, thereby reducing the pregnancy loss rate and improving the live birth rate.
Highlights
The pregnancy loss is defined as the termination of pregnancy before the 28th week of gestation or a fetal weight of less than 1000 g [1]
high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis determined the content of the signature compounds of each Bushen Antai recipe (BSAT) ingredient except for the main compound, Asini Corii Colla, L-hydroxyproline (Figure 2)
We used the mifepristone-induced pregnancy loss model in pregnant rats to investigate the effect of BSAT on embryo survival and resorption rates
Summary
The pregnancy loss is defined as the termination of pregnancy before the 28th week of gestation or a fetal weight of less than 1000 g [1]. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining indicated that the expression of ki, estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), and progesterone receptor (PR) in the placental labyrinth of the BSAT group was higher than that of the model group. The protein levels of ERα, PR, phospho-Akt/Akt, and phosphoErk1/2/Erk1/2 in the BSAT group were higher than those in the control group. BSAT may induce estrogen and progesterone receptors by phosphorylation via the classic Akt and Erk1/2 signaling pathways in the maternal-fetal interface of pregnant rats, thereby reducing the pregnancy loss rate and improving the live birth rate
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