Abstract
Background: Hypothalamic Melanocortin-4 Receptor (MC4R) and kiss1/kisspeptin systems play roles in reproductive processes. This study was conducted to evaluate changes in MC4R and kiss1 genes expression in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus and its relationship with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in rats.Materials and Methods: In the current experimental study, 24 female rats were randomly and equally allocated into nulliparous and primiparous groups and then were divided into two subgroups of PCOS and control. PCOS was induced by exposure to continuous light. Sex-related hormones were evaluated by radioimmunoassay or immunoradiometric assay. Expressions of MC4R and kiss1 gene in the ARC of the hypothalamus of the rats were evaluated by real-time PCR. Histomorphometric alterations of ovaries were compared between groups.Results: Number of tertiary follicles and their size and number of atretic follicles in the PCOS subgroups were more than those in the controls (P<0.05) whereas the number of secondary follicles and corpus luteum in the PCOS subgroups were lower than those in the controls (P<0.05). Antrum and total diameters of tertiary follicles in the PCOS subgroups were greater and granulosa layer diameter was lower than those in the controls (P<0.05). The MC4R mRNA expression in the PCOS subgroups was 6.5-fold in nulliparous and 3.5-fold in primiparous groups more than their controls’ pairs (P<0.05). However, parity did not affect the expression of MC4R gene (P>0.05).The kiss1 mRNA expression in the PCOS and control subgroups was not significantly different (P>0.05).Conclusion: Overexpression of MC4R gene after PCOS induction in the ARC of the hypothalamus may link to metabolic disorders of induced PCOS in the rats. However, alteration in the kiss1 mRNA expression after PCOS induction was not observed in the rats. [GMJ.2018;7:e1070]
Highlights
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common metabolic and endocrine disorder in the reproductive-age women
Body Weight Changesin the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) Subgroups In the nulliparous and multiparous rats, body weight in the PCOS subgroupdecreased until week 9 and increased until the end of study (P
Expression of Melanocortin-4 Receptor (MC4R) gene in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus and increased body weight had a relationship with PCOS induction inrats
Summary
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common metabolic and endocrine disorder in the reproductive-age women. Kisspeptin has a role in different reproductive and physiological conditions including spermatogenesis [10], pregnancy [11], milking [12, 13], estrus cycle [14, 15], malnutrition condition [16], and seasonal breeding [17] Because they are important target tissues for sex steroids, the changes in KNDy peptides can be followed by neuroendocrine defects in PCOS [18]. This study was conducted to evaluate changes in MC4R and kiss genes expression in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus and its relationship with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in rats. Alteration in the kiss mRNA expression after PCOS induction was not observed in the rats. [GMJ.2018;7:e1070] DOI:10.22086/gmj.v0i0.1070
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