J Menopausal Med.  2014 Dec;20(3):97-103. 10.6118/jmm.2014.20.3.97.

Expression of Ezrin in Vagina Cells of Postmenopausal Rats after Dietary Administration of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Formula

• Lee HH
• Kim TH
• Park J
• Lee A
• Park Y
• Byun DW
• Kim MJ
• Lim H

• KMID: 2325470
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.6118/jmm.2014.20.3.97

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To see the effect of dietary administration of omega 3-fatty acid formula on the vaginal cells of postmenopausal rats.
METHODS
Three-week-old female Wistar/ST rats were raised after one week of adjustment period. The rats were then divided into three groups, for three different kinds of diet; general diet, 1% omega-3 fatty acid diet, and 2% omega-3 fatty acid diet. After eight weeks of having assigned diet, after the oophorectomy, with the same diet previously they had Immunohistochemistry, Immunofluorescence, and Western Blot about ezrin, merlin were done.
RESULTS
In immunohistochemistry, estrogen injection group revealed thicker and well differentiated features. In Immunofluorescence, Omega-3 fatty acid composition in diet did not effect expression of ezrin and merlin in rat vagina in estrogen injection group, their vaginal epithelium showed full layers (from basal to apical layer). In Western Blot analysis, Omega-3 fatty acid composition in diet did not affect expression of ezrin and merlin in rat vagina estrogen presented significant impact on expression of ezrin and merlin.
CONCLUSION
Although omega-3 fatty acid composition changed in diet, vaginal epithelial morphology unchanged. Estrogen did effect on vagina cell, but omega-3 fatty acid did not effect on ezrin and merlin in vagina.

Keyword

Atrophic vaginitis; Diet; Fatty acids omega-3; Vagina

MeSH Terms

Animals
Atrophic Vaginitis
Blotting, Western
Diet
Epithelium
Estrogens
Female
Fluorescent Antibody Technique
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Neurofibromin 2
Ovariectomy
Rats*
Vagina*
Estrogens
Neurofibromin 2

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) staining of rat vagina. O: oil injection group, E: estrogen injection group, NC: general diet, DHA: docosahexaenoic acid.

• 

  Fig. 2 Immunofluorescence stains show ezrin (green), phosphorylated ezrin (red) and merlin (purplered) in rat vagina of each group. O: oil injection group, E: estrogen injection group, NC: general diet, DHA: docosahexaenoic acid, 1%: 1% omega-3 fatty acid diet, 2%: 2% omega-3 fatty acid diet.

• 

  Fig. 3 Western Blot analysis of ezrin and merlin expression in rat vagina. O: oil injection group, E: estrogen injection group, NC: general diet, 1%: 1% omega-3 fatty acid diet, 2%: 2% omega-3 fatty acid diet.

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