Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a female reproductive disorder which has its origin from both endocrine and metabolic disruptions, affecting about 6-20% of women in the reproductive age, globally. Atherogenic dyslipidemia refers to alterations in circulating lipid levels, which is a contributing factor to cardiovascular and renal complications in PCOS. Acetate, a short-chain fatty acid has been reported to attenuate endocrine-metabolic complications as well as improve glucose homeostasis, hence, this study was designed to explore the effect of acetate on glucose dysregulation and dyslipidemia in experimentally-induced PCOS.

Materials and method: Female Wistar rats at eight-weeks-old were procured and assigned into four groups (n = 6); Control (CTL), Letrozole (LET), Acetate (ACT), LET+ACT. Letrozole (aromatase inhibitor; 1 mg/kg) administration for 3 weeks induced PCOS, and treatment with acetate was by supplementation during LET administration.

Results: Rats with PCOS presented hyperandrogenism/hypoestrogenism as observed by elevated levels of testosterone, LH/FSH ratio, with a decrease in 17-β estradiol and SHBG levels when compared with the negative control group. In addition, PCOS rats expressed significant increase in body and ovarian weight, fasting insulin, HOMA-β levels. Similarly, TC, LDL, TC/HDL ratio, IL-6, LDH were elevated in PCOS rats, with a decrease in HDL, nitric oxide and kisspeptin in rats with PCOS when compared with control group.

Conclusion: The present study revealed that acetate alleviates atherogenic dyslipidemia and metabolic disturbance in PCOS animal model by modulating kisspeptin level.

Keywords: Acetate; Atherogenic dyslipidemia; Hormonal imbalance; Kisspeptin; PCOS