# Integrated Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals the Regulatory Effects of Curcumin on Bovine Ovarian Granulosa Cells

## TL;DR

This study explores how curcumin affects bovine ovarian granulosa cells using metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses, revealing its role in antioxidant and cell survival pathways.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into curcumin's molecular mechanisms in granulosa cells through integrated multi-omics analysis.

## Key findings

- Curcumin influences key metabolic pathways like glutathione metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis.
- Transcriptomic analysis identified 1168 differentially expressed genes linked to antioxidant and cell survival pathways.
- Curcumin modulates programmed cell death mechanisms including apoptosis, necroptosis, and ferroptosis.

## Abstract

Curcumin is a natural polyphenolic compound known to alleviate follicular developmental abnormalities associated with ovarian dysfunction. However, its precise molecular mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we systematically investigated the regulatory effects of curcumin on bovine ovarian granulosa cells through integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. A total of 503 and 200 significantly altered metabolites were identified in the positive and negative ion modes, respectively, with enrichment in key pathways such as glutathione metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis, and the phosphatidylinositol signaling pathway. Transcriptomic profiling revealed 1168 differentially expressed genes (582 upregulated and 586 downregulated) which were significantly enriched in pathways related to glutathione metabolism and cellular senescence. Joint multi-omics analysis further demonstrated that curcumin significantly influenced pathways related to glutathione metabolism, cysteine, and methionine metabolism, as well as multiple forms of programmed cell death, including apoptosis, necroptosis, and ferroptosis. Collectively, these findings suggest that curcumin may enhance the antioxidant capacity and survival of granulosa cells by maintaining redox homeostasis and modulating cell fate. This work provides new insights into the potential cellular mechanisms underlying the protective effects of curcumin on granulosa cell function.