scholarly journals Diet-induced obesity exacerbates metabolic and behavioral effects of polycystic ovary syndrome in a rodent model

2015 ◽  
Vol 308 (12) ◽  
pp. E1076-E1084 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilana B. Ressler ◽  
Bernadette E. Grayson ◽  
Yvonne M. Ulrich-Lai ◽  
Randy J. Seeley

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy affecting women of reproductive age. Although a comorbidity of PCOS is obesity, many are lean. We hypothesized that increased saturated fat consumption and obesity would exacerbate metabolic and stress indices in a rodent model of PCOS. Female rats were implanted with the nonaromatizable androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or placebo pellets prior to puberty. Half of each group was maintained ad libitum on either a high-fat diet (HFD; 40% butter fat calories) or nutrient-matched low-fat diet (LFD). Irrespective of diet, DHT-treated animals gained more body weight, had irregular cycles, and were glucose intolerant compared with controls on both diets. HFD/DHT animals had the highest levels of fat mass and insulin resistance. DHT animals demonstrated increased anxiety-related behavior in the elevated plus maze by decreased distance traveled and time in the open arms. HFD consumption increased immobility during the forced-swim test. DHT treatment suppressed diurnal corticosterone measurements in both diet groups. In parallel, DHT treatment significantly dampened stress responsivity to a mild stressor. Brains of DHT animals showed attenuated c-Fos activation in the ventromedial hypothalamus and arcuate nucleus; irrespective of DHT-treatment, however, all HFD animals had elevated hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus c-Fos activation. Whereas hyperandrogenism drives overall body weight gain, glucose intolerance, anxiety behaviors, and stress responsivity, HFD consumption exacerbates the effect of androgens on adiposity, insulin resistance, and depressive behaviors.

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Schiattarella ◽  
Gaetano Riemma ◽  
Marco La Verde ◽  
Gianluigi Franci ◽  
Annalisa Chianese ◽  
...  

: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that affects about 15% of women of reproductive age and is correlated with infertility, insulin resistance, and obesity. The etiology of PCOS is multifactorial and genetic, endocrine, and metabolic causes were involved. New evidence suggests a link between microorganisms residing in the digestive tracts of humans and the development of PCOS. Moreover, an imbalance in the gut microbial community could be a possible factor for the onset of insulin resistance and obesity. Hyperandrogenism, a key feature of PCOS, could also play a critical role in shaping the microbiome community. Probiotics could modify the gut microbiota and serve as a potential treatment for PCOS. Here we disclose the association between PCOS and intestinal microbiota and the possible role of probiotics as a new treatment approach.


Endocrinology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 156 (11) ◽  
pp. 4071-4080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Hurliman ◽  
Jennifer Keller Brown ◽  
Nicole Maille ◽  
Maurizio Mandala ◽  
Peter Casson ◽  
...  

This study was designed to differentiate the contributions of hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance (IR), and body weight to the development of endothelial dysfunction in polycystic ovary syndrome and determine the effectiveness of insulin sensitization and antiandrogenic therapy after the establishment of vascular and metabolic dysfunction using a rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome. We hypothesized that the observed endothelial dysfunction was a direct steroidal effect, as opposed to changes in insulin sensitivity or body weight. Prepubertal female rats were randomized to the implantation of a pellet containing DHT or sham procedure. In phase 1, DHT-exposed animals were randomized to pair feeding to prevent weight gain or metformin, an insulin-sensitizing agent, from 5 to 14 weeks. In phase 2, DHT-exposed animals were randomized to treatment with metformin or flutamide, a nonsteroidal androgen receptor blocker from 12 to 16 weeks. Endothelial function was assessed by the vasodilatory response of preconstricted arteries to acetylcholine. Serum steroid levels were analyzed in phase 1 animals. Fasting blood glucose and plasma insulin were analyzed and homeostasis model assessment index calculated in all animals. Our data confirm the presence of endothelial dysfunction as well as increased body weight, hypertension, hyperinsulinemia, and greater IR among DHT-treated animals. Even when normal weight was maintained through pair feeding, endothelial dysfunction, hyperinsulinemia, and IR still developed. Furthermore, despite weight gain, treatment with metformin and flutamide improved insulin sensitivity and blood pressure and restored normal endothelial function. Therefore, the observed endothelial dysfunction is most likely a direct result of hyperandrogenism-induced reductions in insulin sensitivity, as opposed to weight gain.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A803-A804
Author(s):  
Jacob E Pruett ◽  
Steven Everman ◽  
Edgar David Torres Fernandez ◽  
Kacey Davenport ◽  
Damian G Romero ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. PCOS is characterized by androgen excess and ovulatory dysfunction high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as increased blood pressure (BP), insulin resistance (IR), and obesity. We have demonstrated previously that exposing prepubertal female rats to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) leads to increase in food intake (FI), body weight (BW), BP, and IR. We tested the hypothesis that administration of the AR blocker bicalutamide (BICA) would decrease BP, IR, and obesity in PCOS model. As there are previous reports of severe hepatotoxicity with the AR blocker flutamide, we also examined BICA effects in the liver. Methods: Four-week old female Sprague Dawley rats implanted with DHT pellets (7.5mg/90 days) or placebo (PBO) were randomized to standard chow diet with or without the AR blocker bicalutamide (BICA) at a dose of 250 mg/kg/day throughout the study (n=10/group). BW and FI were measured weekly. BP and heart rate (HR) were measured by radiotelemetry. Fasting plasma was collected for IR (Homeostatic model assessment for IR, HOMA-IR). At euthanasia, the liver was collected, as well as plasma for gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST) quantification. Results: PCOS rats had increased BW, FI, IR, and BP compared to PBO. BICA treatment had no impact on BW (285.3 ± 7.0 vs 270 ± 8.2 g, P=0.2) as well as FI and HR in PCOS. However, in PCOS, BICA decreased HOMA-IR (5.10 ± 0.40 vs 3.33 ± 0.31, P<0.05) and BP (115.4 ± 0.7 vs 105.3 ± 0.2 mmHg, P<0.01). Compared to PBO, PCOS+BICA rats had similar IR (3.83 ± 0.28 vs 3.33 ± 0.31, P=0.7) and BP (107.4 ± 0.8 vs 105.3 ± 0.2 mmHg, P=0.9). In addition, the liver weight to tibia length ratio was drastically increased by BICA in PCOS (222.9 ± 9.5 vs 360.4 ± 16.9 mg/mm, P<0.0001) as well as GGT (0.88 ± 0.88 vs 11.67 ± 0.58 U/L, P<0.0001), though it decreased AST (60.2 ± 6.9 vs 42.4 ± 1.9 U/L, P<0.05) and had no impact on ALT. Conclusion: In summary, in a model of PCOS, BICA treatment abolished IR and BP, independent of FI, BW and HR. Prompt treatment with an AR blocker can normalize increased IR and BP triggered by androgen excess in females. Further studies need to be done to fully understand the effect of BICA in the liver in PCOS. The beneficial effect of AR blockers as a therapeutic option to improve the cardiometabolic profile in PCOS may be hampered by its liver toxicity.


Author(s):  
Sophie Catteau-Jonard ◽  
Cécile Gallo ◽  
Didier Didier

The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of anovulation and hyperandrogenism in women, affecting between 5 and 10% of women of reproductive age worldwide (1). Although this difficult topic in endocrine gynaecology is under extensive research, controversies still remain about the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapy of PCOS. The PCOS phenotype can be structured in three components: manifestations of anovulation, hyperandrogenism, and the metabolic syndrome (of which hyperinsulinaemia secondary to insulin resistance is the central abnormality). The latter two are addressed in other chapters. Our knowledge about the mechanism of disturbed folliculogenesis in PCOS that is responsible for its reproductive aspects has much increased these last years, thus opening new avenues for the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 204201882093830 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Altigani Abdalla ◽  
Harshal Deshmukh ◽  
Stephen Atkin ◽  
Thozhukat Sathyapalan

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. Metabolic sequelae associated with PCOS range from insulin resistance to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Insulin resistance plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of PCOS and it is a reliable marker for cardiometabolic risk. Although insulin sensitising agents such as metformin have been traditionally used for managing metabolic aspects of PCOS, their efficacy is low in terms of weight reduction and cardiovascular risk reduction compared with newer agents such as incretin mimetics and SGLT2 inhibitors. With current pharmaceutical advances, potential therapeutic options have increased, giving patients and clinicians more choices. Incretin mimetics are a promising therapy with a unique metabolic target that could be used widely in the management of PCOS. Likewise, bariatric procedures have become less invasive and result in effective weight loss and the reversal of metabolic morbidities in some patients. Therefore, surgical treatment targeting weight loss becomes increasingly common in the management of obese women with PCOS. Newer emerging therapies, including twincretins, triple GLP-1 agonists, glucagon receptor antagonists and imeglemin, are promising therapeutic options for treating T2DM. Given the similarity of metabolic and pathological features between PCOS and T2DM and the variety of therapeutic options, there is the potential to widen our strategy for treating metabolic disorders in PCOS in parallel with current therapeutic advances. The review was conducted in line with the recommendations from the international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome 2018.


2005 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 1360-1365 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Ortega-González ◽  
S. Luna ◽  
L. Hernández ◽  
G. Crespo ◽  
P. Aguayo ◽  
...  

Severe insulin resistance is a key abnormality in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether pioglitazone decreases insulin resistance (IR) and hyperandrogenism to the same extent as metformin in obese women with PCOS who have not received any previous treatment. Fifty-two women with PCOS were randomly allocated to receive either pioglitazone (30 mg/d, n = 25) or metformin (850 mg three times daily, n = 27) and were assessed before and after 6 months. Body weight, body mass index, and waist to hip ratio increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) after pioglitazone treatment but not after metformin treatment. Fasting serum insulin concentration (P < 0.001 for both drugs) and the area under the insulin curve during a 2-h oral glucose tolerance test decreased after pioglitazone (P < 0.002) or metformin (P < 0.05) treatment. IR (homeostasis model of assessment-IR index) decreased and insulin sensitivity (elevation of the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index and the fasting glucose to insulin ratio) increased (P ≤ 0.008) after treatment with either drug. Hirsutism (P < 0.05) and serum concentrations of free testosterone (P < 0.02) and androstenedione (P < 0.01) declined to a similar extent after treatment with the drugs. Treatment with pioglitazone or metformin was associated with the occurrence of pregnancy (n = 5 and n = 3, respectively). These results suggest that pioglitazone is as effective as metformin in improving insulin sensitivity and hyperandrogenism, despite an increase in body weight, body mass index, and the waist to hip ratio associated with pioglitazone.


2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 130-149
Author(s):  
Joanna Smyczyńska

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common hormonal disorders and causes of infertility in women in reproductive age. Diagnostic criteria of PCOS in adult women include: ovulation disorders, hyperandrogenism and  polycystic ovaries. According to most recommendations, 2 out of these 3 criteria are confirm the diagnosis of PCOS. In girls during puberty and in the first years after menarche, different diagnostic criteria of menstrual disorders should be taken into account (variable length of menstrual cycles, monophasic cycles) and the limited usefulness of ultrasound examination for PCOS diagnosis within 8 years after menarche. Fairly extensive differential diagnosis is also necessary, especially – exclusion of adrenal hyperandrogenism. Moreover, the diagnostic criteria of PCOS do not take into account the metabolic disorders found in most patients (obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes), which should be diagnosed as early as possible and treated appropriately. This is especially true for teenagers, in whom the unequivocal diagnosis of PCOS or its exclusion may be very difficult. Current recommendations regard hormonal contraception as the first-line therapy in PCOS, in both adult women and adolescents. Together with its beneficial effect on the reduction of hyperandrogenism and obtaining regular bleeding (which in fact are not menstruations), the unfavorable metabolic effects of hormonal contraception are emphasized, as well as the inadequacy of its use if it is expected to achieve or restore ovulation and fertility. The latest reports indicate the legitimacy of treatment aimed at correcting disorders of carbohydrate metabolism and its greater effectiveness compared to the use of oral contraceptives in both adult women and girls with PCOS. In the pharmacotherapy of insulin resistance, metformin is of fundamental importance, the use of pioglitazone, GLP-1 receptor agonists or inositols is also proposed. Adequate lifestyle and dietary modification are of major importance in the treatment and prevention of PCOS. The mechanisms of "inheritance" of PCOS and insulin resistance with the participation of epigenetic modifications are still better understood, taking into account the effects of exposure to androgen excess in utero, intrauterine growth retardation, and maternal obesity and hyperalimentation. This creates new possibilities for PCOS prophylaxis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 368-375
Author(s):  
Fauzia Tabassum ◽  
Hemali Heidi Sinha ◽  
Kavita Dhar ◽  
Chandra Jyoti ◽  
Md Sayeed Akhtar ◽  
...  

Objectives: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifaceted endocrine disorder in reproductive age having a greater impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The aim of this study was to find out PCOS demographics and its related HRQOL effects for improving psychological understanding in disease management. Materials and Methods: A prospective questionnaire-based study was conducted for a period of twelve months at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India. The data of 100 PCOS cases were collected about socio-demographic status, clinical history, and dietary intake. Then, a validated PCOS questionnaire (PCOSQ) was used to observe the impact of PCOS symptoms on patients’ HRQOL. Results: The overall 57% and 48% of PCOS cases belonged to the age range of 20-30 years and had a body mass index (BMI) of >25-30, respectively. Based on the results, a significant difference was observed in the mean score of PCOSQ vs. marital status in PCOS cases with respect to emotion (P=0.039), body weight (P=0.002), and infertility (P=0.001). Furthermore, the result showed a significant difference in the domain of emotion (P=0.008), body hair (P=0.035), body weight (P<0.001), and infertility (P=0.018) among BMI group, and a high score was observed in the BMI group <18 in comparison to the other groups of BMI. Conclusions: In general, our findings indicated that infertility, emotions, and BMI had extremely higher impacts on the HRQOL of women suffering from PCOS although their educational status failed to affect HRQOL.


Author(s):  
Chelsae Kuntal ◽  
Jyotsna Vyas ◽  
Asha Chaudhary ◽  
Sunita Hemani ◽  
Lata Rajoria

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common endocrinopathy in women of reproductive age with prevalence of 6-10% which is characterized by hyper androgenic features and chronic oligo – anovulation and polycystic ovary morphology. Most women with polycystic ovary syndrome are also characterized by metabolic abnormalities like insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia and abdominal obesity, these forming risk factors for metabolic syndrome. The objective of the study was to compare the clinical, biochemical and hormonal profile of polycystic ovary syndrome patients with and without metabolic syndrome.Methods: A comparative cross- sectional study was undertaken on 79 PCOS women diagnosed with PCOS according to Rotterdam criteria, in which the clinical data and hormonal profile of two groups of polycystic ovary syndrome women with and without metabolic syndrome was compared.Results: The mean age of 79 patients in this study group with and without metabolic syndrome was 26.17±3.18 and 25.57±3.41 years respectively. There were more patients from urban areas as compared to rural areas and maximum patients. Significantly higher number of PCOS women with metabolic syndrome had hirsutism and acanthosis nigricans than those without metabolic syndrome. Mean value of Waist circumference, systolic BP pressure, diastolic BP, S. Triglyceride and fasting glucose were higher and HDL levels were lower in women with metabolic syndrome than those without metabolic syndrome. Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR values were significantly higher in PCOS women with metabolic syndrome in comparison to those without metabolic syndrome.Conclusion: PCOS is not only is the most frequent cause of anovulation, but it is also associated with characteristic metabolic disturbances that may have important implications for the long term health. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of endocrine disturbances, including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, obesity, and hypertension. It is associated with a two-fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease and a five-fold increased risk of type 2 diabetes. This illustrates the importance of early detection of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome with subsequent application of preventive measures in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.


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