152 Influence of diarylheptanoid supplementation from Curcuma comosa extract on Ki67 and estrogen receptor alpha expression in goat ovaries

This study aimed to examine the impact of diarylheptanoid supplementation from Curcuma comosa extract (CCE) on the expression of Ki67 and oestrogen receptor α (ERα) in goat ovaries. Diarylheptanoids, which are oestrogen-like compounds found in plants, were hexane extracted from Curcuma comosa with a purity exceeding 98% as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Sixteen adolescent goats were divided into four treatment groups: control (sham-operated), UniOVX-CCE (unilateral ovariectomized with olive oil), UniOVX+CCE (unilateral ovariectomized with CCE), and BiOVX+CCE (bilateral ovariectomized with CCE). Treated groups received 2.5 mL of Curcuma comosa hexene extract orally per head on Days 9 to 12 of the oestrus cycle. One ovary was excised in the UniOVX group to observe changes in the remaining ovary’s function, and both ovaries were excised in the BiOVX group to analyse hormone concentrations. Blood samples were collected daily during the oestrus cycle for hormone analysis. Ovarian samples were fixed in Carnoy’s solution, embedded in paraffin, and sectioned at 5 microns for immunofluorescence to locate Ki67 and ERα, quantified through Image-Pro Premier analysis software. The positive cells in the nucleus of granulosa, theca, and stroma regions were counted and divided by the number of DAPI-positive cells to calculate the percentage of activated cells. Oestradiol concentrations were significantly increased (P < 0.01) in the UniOVX+CCE and BiOVX+CCE groups compared with the control and UniOVX-CCE group. Diarylheptanoids can increase aromatase activity, which converts androgens into estrogens like oestradiol, which can raise oestradiol levels in bilateral ovariectomized goats. Furthermore, the UniOVX+CCE group was a greater proportion of Ki67 nuclei in the samples evaluated in the theca and granulosa cells (P < 0.01); Ki67 serves as a marker for cell proliferation. Additionally, ERα expression in the ovarian stroma was significantly greater in the UniOVX+CCE compared with the UniOVX-CCE group (25.89 ± 1.96 vs 13.99 ± 2.47; P < 0.01). Oestrogen receptor α plays a crucial role in promoting healthy follicles and successful embryo development. These results demonstrate that diarylheptanoid from Curcuma comosa influences the ovarian expression of Ki67 and ERα, potentially positively affecting follicular development and fertility in goats, which could have significant implications for understanding female reproductive health and for potential applications.