Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a frequent endocrine and metabolic syndrome in reproductive-age women. Recently, emerging evidence has shown that gut microbiota is closely related to metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity and PCOS. In the present study, we established dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced PCOS rats and used Illumina MiSeq sequencing (PE300) to examine the composition, diversity, and abundance of the gut microbiota in PCOS. We compared the effects of three PCOS treatments: Diane-35 (estrogen and progesterone), probiotics and berberine. The DHT-induced rats showed constant estrous cycles, the loss of mature ovarian follicles, insulin resistance and obesity. The reproductive and metabolic functions in the PCOS rats were improved by treatment with Diane-35 and probiotics. Diane-35 and probiotics could restore the diversity of the gut microbiota, and the recovery of gut microbiota disorders improved the reproductive function in PCOS-like rats. However, berberine drastically reduced the species diversity and amount of gut microbiota and showed no improvement in PCOS. The findings of this study will help us to better understand the influence of the gut microbiota in the metabolic and reproductive alterations in PCOS as well as suggest opportunities for future personal dietary guidance for PCOS.
Highlights
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic syndrome among women of reproductive-age, with a worldwide incidence of 5–15% (Michelmore et al, 1999; March et al, 2010; Li R. et al, 2013)
At 7 weeks after implantation, the DHT-induced PCOS rats received Diane35 [one tablet containing 2.0 mg cyproterone acetate and 35 μg ethinylestradiol dissolved in 50 ml 1% carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) solution and administered at 0.005 ml/kg body weight (BW)], probiotics Bifid Triple Viable was dissolved in 1% CMC solution to a concentration of 42 mg/ml and administered at 210 mg/kg BW, or berberine
At 10 weeks of age, Diane-35, probiotics, and berberine were administered to the DHT-induced rats
Summary
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic syndrome among women of reproductive-age, with a worldwide incidence of 5–15% (Michelmore et al, 1999; March et al, 2010; Li R. et al, 2013). The principal characters are clinical or biochemical androgen excess, ovulation disorders and polycystic ovarian change (Conway et al, 2014; Skubleny et al, 2016), and it is associated with abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, impaired glucose. Even in lean PCOS patients, hepatic insulin resistance is present (Conway et al, 2014). Anti-androgenic agents, insulin-sensitizing agents, anti-hypertensives, and statins are all optional therapies in the clinic (Moghetti et al, 2000; Lord et al, 2003; Ibanez and de Zegher, 2004; Teede et al, 2010; Bargiota and Diamanti-Kandarakis, 2012), but caloric restriction and regular exercise are the primary recommendations (Morgante et al, 2018)
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