ABSTRACT
Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome [PCOS] is the most frequent female endocrine disorder that affects 5-10% of women. PCOS is characterized by hyperandrogenism, oligo-/anovulation, and polycystic ovaries. The aim of the present research is to evaluate the expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein [StAR] and aromatase [CYP19] mRNA in the ovaries of an estradiol valerate [EV]-induced PCOS rat model, and the effect of treadmill and running wheel [voluntary] exercise on these parameters
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, we divided adult female Wistar rats that weighed approximately 220 +/- 20 g initially into control [n=10] and PCOS [n=30]. Subsequently, PCOS group were divided to PCOS, PCOS with treadmill exercise [P-ExT], and PCOS with running wheel exercise [P-ExR] groups [n=10 per group]. The expressions of StAR and CYP19 mRNA in the ovaries were determined by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction [qRT-PCR]. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA using SPSS software, version 16. The data were assessed at alpha=0.05
Results: There was significantly lower mRNA expression of CYP19 in the EV-induced PCOS, running wheel and treadmill exercise rats compared to the control group [P<0.001]. Treadmill exercise [P=0.972] and running wheel exercise [P=0.839] had no significant effects on CYP19 mRNA expression compared to the PCOS group. mRNA expression of StAR in the ovaries of the PCOS group indicated an increasing trend compared to the control group, however this was not statistically significant [P=0.810]. We observed that 8 weeks of running wheel and treadmill exercises could not statistically decrease StAR mRNA expression compared to the PCOS group [P=0.632]
Conclusion: EV-induced PCOS in rats decreased CYP19 mRNA expression, but had no effect on StAR mRNA expression. We demonstrated that running wheel and moderate treadmill exercise could not modify CYP19 and StAR mRNA expressions
ABSTRACT
Background: Studies of oxidative status in polycystic ovarian syndrome [PCOS] patients are limited with inconsistent results. The effects of resveratrol as a natural antioxidant on oxidative status in PCOS aren't clear
Objective: This study evaluated effects of resveratrol on oxidative stress in the liver and serum of the PCOS rats
Materials and Methods: Fifteen female Wistar rats [3 wk old] were divided into 3 groups [n=5/each e]: Control group, PCO-Control group, and PCO-Resveratrol group. For induction of polycystic ovary phenotype, testosterone enanthate 10 mg/kg was injected for 35 days subcutaneously. Then, resveratrol 10 mg/kg was injected intraperitoneally for 28 days to rats of the PCO-Resveratrol group. Ovarian sections were stained with hematoxylin/eosin. The serum glucose and insulin and the levels of malondialdehyde [MDA] and total antioxidant capacity [TAC] in serum and liver were measured
Results: Control animals showed normal ovarian morphology and PCO-Control animals exhibited cystic follicles. There were no significant differences in liver TAC between groups. The serum MDA [p=0.034], and homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance [HOMA-IR] [p=0.014] levels in PCO-Control rats were higher than the controls. The liver MDA in PCO-Control rats was more than that of controls [p=0.001]. The HOMA-IR [p=0.008] and serum MDA [p=0.006] levels in PCO-Control rats were more than those of PCO-Resveratrol rats [p=0.008]. In PCO-Resveratrol group, serum TAC was higher than that of PCO-Control group [p=0.022] and liver MDA was more than controls [p=0.01]
Conclusion: Results indicated that the induction of PCOS in rats increased lipid peroxidation and insulin resistance and resveratrol improved these complications
ABSTRACT
Background: The inhibitory effects of morphine and the stimulatory influence of kisspeptin signaling have been demonstrated on gonadotropin releasing hormone [GnRH]/luteinizing hormone [LH] release. Hypothalamic kisspeptin is involved in relaying the environmental and metabolic information to reproductive axis. In the present study, the role of kisspeptin/ GPR54 signaling system was investigated on relaying the inhibitory influences of morphine on LH hormone secretion
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 55 wistar male rats weighing 230-250 g were sub-grouped in 11 groups [in each group n=5] receiving saline, kisspeptin [1 nmol], peptide234 [P234, 1 nmol], morphine [5 mg/kg], naloxone [2 mg/kg], kisspeptin/P234, morphine/naloxone, kisspeptin/morphine, kisspeptin/naloxone, P234/morphine or P234/naloxone respectively. Blood samples were collected via tail vein. Mean plasma [LH] concentrations and mean relative KiSS1 or GPR54 mRNA levels were determined by radioimmunoassay [RIA] and real time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR], respectivwely
Results: Morphine significantly decreased mean plasma LH concentration and mean relative KiSS1 gene expression compared to saline; while it did not significantly decrease mean relative GPR54 gene expression compared to saline. Naloxone significant increased mean LH level and mean relative KiSS1 gene expression compared to saline; while it did not significantly increase mean relative GPR54 gene expression compared to saline. Injections of kisspeptin plus morphine significantly increased mean LH concentration compared to saline or morphine, while simultaneous infusions of them significantly declined mean plasma LH level compared to kisspeptin. In kisspeptin/naloxone group mean plasma LH level was significantly increased compared to saline or naloxone. Co-administration of P234/morphine significantly decreased mean LH concentration compared to saline
Conclusion: Down regulation of KiSS1 gene expression may be partly involved in the mediating the inhibitory effects of morphine on reproductive axis
ABSTRACT
Background: Citrullus colocynthis [CCT] is used as the anti-diabetic and antioxidant agent. Polycystic ovarian syndrome [PCOS] is a reproductive disorder which level of gonadotropins and sexual hormones are imbalanced
Objective: We evaluated the effect of CCT hydro-alcoholic extract on hormonal and folliculogenesis process in estradiol valerate-induced PCOs rats' model
Materials and Methods: 40 female adult Wistar rats divided into five groups [n=8 each: Group I [control] only injected by sesame oil as estradiol valerate solvent, group II [Sham] was orally received normal saline after estradiol valerate- induced polycystic ovarian syndrome [4 mg/rat estradiol valerate, intramuscularly], and three experimental groups, that after induction of PCOS within 60 days, received orally 50 mg/kg CCT extract [group III], 50mg/kg metformin [group IV], and CCT extract+ metformin [group V] for 20 days. The serum concentration level of luteinizing, testosterone and follicle stimulating hormones were measured using ELISA method and the serum concentration level of glucose were measured using the oxidative method [glucose meter]. Histological study of ovary tissue carried out by hematoxylin-eosin staining
Results: There was a significant reduction in luteinizing hormone and testosterone in III-V groups compared to Sham group, whereas follicle stimulating hormone in III-V groups was not significantly changed in comparison with Sham group. Histological investigations showed a significant increase in number of preantral and antral follicles and corpus luteum in the experimental groups compared to group II
Conclusion: Marked improvement in hormonal and histological symptoms of PCOS may be due to CCT effects hence, CCT can potentially be considered as an effective drug for treatment of PCOS
ABSTRACT
Background: The hormones of hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal [HPG] axis have facilitative effects on reproductive behavior in mammals. Ghrelin as a starvation hormone has an inhibitory effect on HPG axis' function. Hence, it is postulated that ghrelin may reduce the sexual behavior through inhibiting of HPG axis. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of ghrelin and its antagonist, [D-Lys3]-GHRP-6, on sexual behavior and LH beta-subunit gene expression in male rats
Methods: In this experimental study, 128 male Wistar rats were divided into two groups. Each group was further subdivided into eight subgroups [n=8 rats/subgroup] including the animals that received saline, ghrelin [2, 4 or 8 nmol], [D-Lys3]-GHRP-6 [5 or 10 nmol] or co-administration of ghrelin [4 nmol] and [D-Lys3]-GHRP-6 [5 or 10 nmol] through the stereotaxically implanted cannula into the third cerebral ventricle. The sexual behavior of male rats encountering with females and the hypophyseal LH beta-subunit gene expression were evaluated at two different groups
Data were analyzed by ANOVA and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Ghrelin injection [4 and 8 nmol] significantly [p<0.01] increased the latencies to the first mount, intromission and ejaculation as well as the post-ejaculatory interval. Also, 4 and 8 nmol ghrelin significantly [p<0.05] increased the number of mount and decreased the number of ejaculation. In co-administrated groups, [DLys3]- GHRP-6 antagonized the effects of ghrelin. Ghrelin injection [4 and 8 nmol] reduced the LH beta-subunit gene expression while pretreatment with [D-Lys3]- GHRP-6 improved the gene expression
Conclusion: Ghrelin decreased the sexual behavior and LH beta-subunit gene expression in male rats, whereas [D-Lys3]-GHRP-6 antagonizes these effects
Subject(s)
Animals, Laboratory , Luteinizing Hormone, beta Subunit , Sexual Behavior , Gene Expression , OligopeptidesABSTRACT
Background: Orexin is a hypothalamic orexigenic neuropeptide, which third cerebral injection of it mainly exerts inhibitory effects on reproductive functions. It increases significantly the Aromatase [Cyp19] gene expression in the hypothalamus of male rats. Aromatase is an enzyme which converts androgens to estradiol in the hypothalamus of rats. Prenatal or neonatal exposure of females to testosterone masculinizes the pattern of Cyp19 mRNA levels in adulthood. In the present study the effects of central injections of orexin-A on hypothalamic Cyp19 gene expression of adult female rats were investigated, while they had been androgenized on third day of postnatal life
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, twenty female Wistar rats received subcutaneous injections of testosterone propionate [50 microg/100 microl] on their third day of postnatal life. Adult androgenized rats weighing 180-220 g, received either 3 microl saline or one of 2, 4 or 8 microg/3 microl concentration of orexin via third cerebral ventricle. Five non-androgenized rats, as control group, received intra cerebral ventricle [ICV] injection of 3 microl saline. The hypothalamuses were dissected out and mean Cyp19 mRNA levels were determined by semi-quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction [PCR] method. Data were analyzed by unpaired t test and one-way ANOVA using SPSS software, version 16
Results: Mean relative Cyp19 mRNA level was significantly increased in the hypothalamus of androgenized compared to non-androgenized female rats. Central injec- tions of 2, 4 or 8 microg/3 microl orexin decreased significantly the hypothalamic Cyp19 mRNA level of androgenized rats compared to androgenized-control groups
Conclusion: The results suggested that the orexin may exert inhibitory effects on the gene expression of Cyp19 in the hypothalamus of neonatal androgenized female rats in adulthood
ABSTRACT
Background: Kisspeptin and naloxone stimulate the reproductive axis while morphine inhibits its function. We have investigated the effect of central injection of kisspeptin-10 on mean plasma testosterone concentration in morphine or naloxone pretreated rats
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 60 male Wistar rats that were divided into 12 groups [n=5 per group] received saline, kisspeptin [1 nmol, ICV], naloxone [2 mg/kg, subcutaneously], morphine [5 or 10 mg/kg, sc] or co-administrations of kisspeptin, morphine and naloxone at 09:00 - 09:30. In the co-administrated groups, kisspeptin was injected 15 minutes following morphine or naloxone injections. Blood samples were collected 60 minutes following injections via the tail vein. Plasma testosterone concentration was measured by a rat testosterone ELISA kit
Results: Central injection of kisspeptin or subcutaneous injection of naloxone significantly increased the mean plasma testosterone concentration compared to saline while subcutaneous injections of different doses of morphine [5 or 10 mg/kg] significantly decreased testosterone compared to saline. The results revealed that morphine significantly attenuated the testosterone increase after kisspeptin injection compared to kisspeptin while a stimulatory additive effect was observed in the kisspeptin/naloxone group compared to either naloxone or kisspeptin
Conclusion: Morphine and kisspeptin systems may interact with each other to control the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal [HPG] axis
ABSTRACT
Klinefelter syndrome [KS] is the most common sex chromosomal disorder in men. Most of these patients show the 47, XXY karyotype, whereas approximately 15% of them are mosaics with variable phenotype. A 39-year-old male investigated for primary infertility, was clinically normal with small firm testes and elevated levels of FSH, LH and low level of testosterone. Total azoospermia was confirmed on semen analysis. Testicular histopathology revealed no spermatogenesis and absence of germ cells. Karyotype from whole blood culture showed cells with 47, XXY/46, XX/ 45, X/48, XXXY/ 46, XY mosaicism. The predominant cell line was 47, XXY [83.67%]. This was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization [FISH]. Also the presence of a small population of cells with the 48, XXXY and 45, X karyotypes was detected by FISH. This case illustrates the utility of FISH as an adjunct to conventional cytogenetics in assess the chromosome copy number in each cell line of a mosaic