Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Among metabolic/endocrine diseases affecting women in the reproductive years, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is well documented as the leading cause of female infertility and several complications including dyslipidemia, and cardiomorbidities, among others. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a proangiogenic marker which plays a crucial role in endothelial dysfunction, including ovarian dysfunction. Probiotics are gut microbiome that regulate metabolic health via epigenetic modulation of histone. Nevertheless, the present study was designed to investigate the beneficial effect of probiotics on aberrant ovarian angiogenesis in a PCOS rat model.

Materials and methods: Eight (8)-week-old female Wistar rats were randomized into four groups, n = 5/group. Letrozole administration of 1 mg/kg (p.o) for three weeks induced PCOS, thereafter the animals were treated with 2x10⁷ CFU (p.o) of probiotics for six weeks.

Results: Rats that received letrozole exhibited obesity, ovarian weight gain, hyperandrogenism, hypoestrogenism, multiple ovarian cysts, and demonstrated an increased level of anti-Mullerian hormone. Animals in this group also demonstrated ovarian lipid accumulation (triglyceride), inflammation (NF-κB, TNF-α), lipid peroxidation (MDA), metabolic stress (elevated corticosterone) and elevated angiogenic factor (VEGF), as well as decreased level of antioxidant defense (NrF2), and HIF-1a. Similarly, a significant decrease in Mfn2 was observed while HDAC2 was significantly elevated when compared with the control group. Interestingly, treatment with probiotics significantly reversed these ovarian metabolic, biochemical and morphological changes.

Conclusion: Collectively, the present result suggests that probiotics ameliorate ovarian angiogenesis with subsequent improvement of ovarian function in the PCOS model. This beneficial effect of probiotics is accompanied by modulation of Mfn2 and suppression of HDAC2.