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. 2023 Oct;40(10):2453-2461.
doi: 10.1007/s10815-023-02900-1. Epub 2023 Sep 5.

The effects of AdipoRon on cytochrome P450-related gene expression, acute steroidogenic regulatory protein, and structure of ovary in polycystic ovary syndrome model

Pegah Hazrati  1 , Mahdi Ramezani  1   2 , Davoud Ahmadimoghaddam  3 , Sara Soleimani Asl  1   2 , Tayebe Artimani  4   5
Affiliations

The effects of AdipoRon on cytochrome P450-related gene expression, acute steroidogenic regulatory protein, and structure of ovary in polycystic ovary syndrome model

Pegah Hazrati et al. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2023 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose: One of the most common causes of infertility in adult women is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) which has been identified with symptoms such as chronic hyperandrogenism, anovulation, and polycystic ovaries. Adiponectin modulates steroidogenesis and the expression of ovulation-related genes. Herein, we assessed the effect of AdipoRon (adiponectin agonist) in the PCOS model mice.

Methods: The PCOS model was induced with letrozole in the adult female mice and the animals received intraperitoneal injection of AdipoRon (5 mg/kg) for 10 days. Expression of CYP11A, CYP17A, and CYP19A genes, StAR protein, and histomorphology of the ovary were evaluated using real-time RT-PCR, western blotting, and histochemistry methods, respectively.

Results: Although administration of letrozole caused an increase in the expression of CYP11A, CYP17A, and StAR and a decrease in the CYP19A1 expression, injection of AdipoRon reversed these changes. Moreover, AdipoRon treatment resulted in an improvement of folliculogenesis and a reduction of cysts compared to the letrozole-treated mice.

Conclusion: It is likely that AdipoRon has protective effects on the PCOS through modulation of cytochrome P450-related genes and steroidogenesis but needs further study to be sure.

Keywords: AdipoRON; Adiponectin receptors; Cytochrome P450; PCOS; StAR.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Effects of treatments on the weight of mice before (A) and after (B) the experiment
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The crystal violet staining of vaginal smear shows the estrus cycle of letrozole-treated (right) and untreated (left) mice. The regular cycle contains four proestrus (A), estrus (B), metestrus (C), and diestrus (D) phases
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Comparison of changes in different phases of the estrus cycles in the experimental groups: 1: estrus, 2: meth estrus, 3: estrus, and 4: proestrus
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Hematoxylin-eosin staining of the ovary of the control with a magnification of × 200 (A) and × 400 (B), DMSO sham (C), PCOS (D), AdipoRon (E), and AdipoRon+PCOS (F) groups. AF, antral follicle; PAF, pre antral follicle; CL, corpus luteum; PF, primary follicle
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Histograms of mean ± S.E.M. of primary (A), small preantral (B), large preantral (C), small antral (D), large antral (E) follicles, and cyst number (F) in the experimental groups
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
The CYP11A, CYP17A, and CYP19 gene expression in the ovary of letrozole-injected PCOS model mice. Data were presented as mean ± S.E.M. The effect of AdipoRon on the StAR protein expression in the ovary of letrozole-injected PCOS model mice
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Western blot analysis of StAR protein in the different experimental groups. Mean ± S.E.M. of protein concentrations in the ovary
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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