Annatto (Bixa orellana) delta-TCT Supplementation Protection against Embryonic Malformations through Alterations in PI3K/Akt-Cyclin D1 Pathway

• Main Authors: Ab Rahim, S (Author), Khan, NAMN (Author), Mutalip, SSM (Author), Rajikin, MH (Author)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL; annatto delta-tocotrienol; ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES; BREAST-CANCER CELLS; CYCLIN-E; DEPENDENT REGULATION; GAMMA-TOCOTRIENOL; INDUCED APOPTOSIS; murine preimplantation embryos; nicotine; NICOTINE; reproductive toxicant; STEM-CELLS; tocopherols; vitamin E; VITAMIN-E
• Online Access: View Fulltext in Publisher

 Protective action by annatto-derived delta-tocotrienol (delta-TCT) and soy-derived alpha-tocopherol (alpha-TOC) through the regulation of the PI3K/Akt-cyclin D1 pathway against nicotine-induced DNA damage is the focus of the present study. Nicotine, which has been widely reported to have numerous adverse effects on the reproductive system, was used as a reproductive toxicant. 48 female balb/c mice (6-8 weeks) (23-25 g) were randomly divided into eight groups (Grp.1-Grp.8; n = 6) and treated with either nicotine or/and annatto delta-TCT/soy alpha-TOC for seven consecutive days. On Day 8, the females were superovulated and mated before euthanization for embryo collection (46 h post-coitum). Fifty 2-cell embryos from each group were used in gene expression analysis using Affymetrix QuantiGene Plex2.0 assay. Findings indicated that nicotine (Grp.2) significantly decreased (p < 0.05) the number of produced 2-cell embryos compared to the control (Grp.1). Intervention with mixed annatto delta-TCT (Grp.3) and pure annatto delta-TCT (Grp.4) significantly increased the number of produced 2-cell embryos by 127% and 79%, respectively compared to Grp.2, but these were lower than Grp.1. Concurrent treatment with soy alpha-TOC (Grp.5) decreased embryo production by 7%. Supplementations with delta-TCT and alpha-TOC alone (Grp.6-Grp.8) significantly increased (p < 0.05) the number of produced 2-cell embryos by 50%, 36%, and 41%, respectively, compared to control (Grp.1). These results were found to be associated with alterations in the PI3K/Akt-Cyclin D1 genes expressions, indicating the inhibitory effects of annatto delta-TCT and soy alpha-TOC against nicotinic embryonic damage. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt in studying the benefits of annatto delta-TCT on murine preimplantation 2-cell embryos.