Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40273194›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Curcumin ameliorates aging-induced blood-testis barrier disruption by regulating AMPK/mTOR mediated autophagy.

Chen Xue, Zhenxing Yan, Wenjing Cheng, Dong Zhang, Rong Zhang, Hongwei Duan, Lihong Zhang, Xiaofei Ma, Junjie Hu, Jian Kang and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Curcumin Between Pleiotropic Potential and Translational Constraints.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026
    Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Chen XueCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
Zhenxing YanCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
Wenjing ChengCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
Dong ZhangCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
Rong ZhangCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
Hongwei DuanCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
Lihong ZhangCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
Xiaofei MaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
Junjie HuCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.ORCID 0000-0003-2522-4724
Jian KangSchool of Animal Science and technology, Guangdong polytechnic of science and trade, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Xiaojun MaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The blood-testis barrier (BTB) is composed of tight junctions (TJ) between adjacent Sertoli cells (SCs) and is crucial for sperm growth and development. Aging-induced TJ impairment is closely related to testicular dysfunction. Curcumin, a natural compound, has been widely demonstrated to have a wide range of pharmacological activities, but its regulatory effects on tight junction damage in the testis remain unclear. We here explored the effect of curcumin on TJ function and its underlying molecular mechanism by using D-galactose (D-gal)-induced mouse testis and mouse testicular SCs (TM4) aging models in vitro. In this study, D-gal increased the expression of aging-related proteins p16 and p21, whereas significantly decreased the expression of TJ proteins (ZO-1, Claudin-4, Claudin-7, and Occludin). In addition, curcumin restored the adverse effects of D-gal in the SCs. Autophagy is a degradation system for maintaining cell renewal and homeostasis. D-gal significantly decreased the autophagy level, whereas curcumin restored the effect of D-gal. Using chloroquine (CQ), an inhibitor of autophagy, and rapamycin (RAPA), an activator of autophagy, it was demonstrated that autophagy plays a key role in curcumin amelioration of TJ injury in testicular SCs. Further studies unveiled that autophagy activation was mediated through the AMPK/mTOR pathway. In conclusion, curcumin ameliorates aging-induced TJ damage through AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway-regulated autophagy. This study thus clearly identifies a novel action mechanism of curcumin in the treatment of age-related male reproductive disorders.

Indexed as

AgingAMP-Activated Protein KinasesAutophagyBlood-Testis BarrierCurcuminTOR Serine-Threonine KinasesAnimalsGalactoseMaleMiceSertoli CellsSignal TransductionTestisTight JunctionsAMP-Activated Protein KinasesCurcuminGalactosemTOR protein, mouseTOR Serine-Threonine Kinases

Identifiers

PMID40273194
PMCPMC12021166

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.