Pycnogenol improves the destructive results of prenatal bacterial lipopolysaccharide exposure in adult male pups NMRI mice

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
Fatemeh Karami 1
Faezeh Abdolmaleki Abdolmaleki 2
Maryam Azizi 3
Negin Vali Nejad 4
Maryamalsadat Hosseini Parsa 5
Arman Vasighmehr 6
Mahdi Goudarzvand 7
Jalal Solati 4
1 Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran.
2 Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University.
3 Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj
4 Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran
5 Alborz University of Medical Sciences
6 Qazvin University of Medical Sciences
7 Alborz University of Medical Science
Abstract
Introduction: Prenatal exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can lead to structural damage and CNS dysfunction. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of prenatal administration of pycnogenol (PYC) against the negative effects of bacterial LPS on anxiety-like behavior, gonadotropin and sex hormone serum levels, and sperm quality and quantity in the adult male offspring of NMRI mice.

Methods: Pregnant mice were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10 per group): 1. Saline group: received a single dose of saline as solvent of pycnogenol by gavage for 3 days on gestation days 16-18. 2. LPS group: received a single dose of LPS (20 µg/kg, subcutaneously) on gestation day 20. 3. PYC: received 200 mg/kg/day of pycnogenol by gavage for 3 days, intraperitoneally, on gestation days 16-18. 4. LPS + PYC: received a single dose of LPS (20 μg/kg) on gestation day 20 and pycnogenol (200 mg/kg/day) by gavage for 3 days on gestation days 16-18. After maturity/puberty in male pups (60 days old), the anxiety-like behavior test was performed. After the behavioral test, serum levels of gonadotropins (luteinizing hormone, LH, follicle stimulating hormone, FSH), testosterone hormone and sperm quality were assessed.

Results: LPS administration increased anxiety-like behaviors and decreased serum LH and testosterone levels; however, PYC treatment reversed the negative effects of LPS to normal levels.

Conclusion: PYC treatment improves anxiety-like behavior and gonadotropin and testosterone secretions. Therefore, this substance can be used as a protectant and an aphrodisiac agent.

Keywords

1. Bernardi MM, Kirsten TB, Matsuoka SM, Teodorov E, Habr SF, Penteado SH, et al. Prenatal lipopolysaccharide exposure affects maternal behavior and male offspring sexual behavior in adulthood. Neuroimmunomodulation. 2009;17(1):47-55.
2. Yoon HJ, Moon ME, Park HS, Im SY, Kim YH. Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) inhibits LPS-induced inflammatory effects in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Biochemical and biophysical research communications. 2007;358(3):954-9.
3. Boksa P. Effects of prenatal infection on brain development and behavior: a review of findings from animal models. Brain, behavior, and immunity. 2010;24(6):881-97.
4. Romero E, Guaza C, Castellano B, Borrell J. Ontogeny of sensorimotor gating and immune impairment induced by prenatal immune challenge in rats: implications for the etiopathology of schizophrenia. Molecular psychiatry. 2010;15(4):372-83.
5. Al-Amin MM, Sultana R, Sultana S, Rahman MM, Reza HM. Astaxanthin ameliorates prenatal LPS-exposed behavioral deficits and oxidative stress in adult offspring. BMC neuroscience. 2016;17:1-10.
6. Agarwal A, Sharma RK, Sharma R, Assidi M, Abuzenadah AM, Alshahrani S, et al. Characterizing semen parameters and their association with reactive oxygen species in infertile men. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. 2014;12:1-9.
7. Alexopoulos N, Vlachopoulos C, Stefanadis C. Role of green tea in reduction of cardiovascular risk factors. Nutrition and Dietary Supplements. 2010:85-95.
8. Herbst LS, Gaigher T, Siqueira AA, Joca S, Sampaio KN, Beijamini V. New evidence for refinement of anesthetic choice in procedures preceding the forced swimming test and the elevated plus-maze. Behavioural Brain Research. 2019;368:111897.
9. Oliff HS, Blumenthal M. PYCNOGENOL.
10. Yildirim ME, Kaynar M, Badem H, Cavis M, Karatas OF, Cimentepe E. What is harmful for male fertility: cell phone or the wireless Internet? The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences. 2015;31(9):480-4.
11. Jafari F, Goudarzvand M, Hajikhani R, Qorbani M, Solati J. Pycnogenol ameliorates motor function and gene expressions of NF-ƙ B and Nrf2 in a 6-hydroxydopamine-induced experimental model of Parkinson’s disease in male NMRI mice. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology. 2022;395(3):305-13.
12. Solati J, Kleehaupt E, Kratz O, Moll GH, Golub Y. Inverse effects of lipopolysaccharides on anxiety in pregnant mice and their offspring. Physiology & Behavior. 2015;139:369-74.
13. Grimm T, Schäfer A, Högger P. Antioxidant activity and inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases by metabolites of maritime pine bark extract (pycnogenol). Free Radical Biology and Medicine. 2004;36(6):811-22.
14. Sahebkar A. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of pycnogenol on plasma lipids. Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology and therapeutics. 2014;19(3):244-55.
15. D̆uračková Z, Trebatický B, Novotný V, Žitňanová I, Breza J. Lipid metabolism and erectile function improvement by pycnogenol®, extract from the bark of pinus pinaster in patients suffering from erectile dysfunction-a pilot study. Nutrition research. 2003;23(9):1189-98.
Pathobiology Reserach
Volume 25, Issue 4
October 2022
Pages 51-57