Effect of testosterone on the expression of PPAR mRNA in PCOS patients

Expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) mRNA in ovarian granulosa cells of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were explored. Ovarian granulosa cells were extracted from 5 patients with PCOS and 30 normal controls. Expression of PPAR mRNA in granulosa cells of the 5 PCOS patients (observation group) and 5 normal controls (control group) was detected by RT-qPCR. The remaining 25 cases of normal human ovarian granulosa cells were cultured in vitro for 48 h, followed by cell culture for another 24 h with different concentrations of testosterone, insulin (INS), and rosiglitazone (RGZ). After that, expression of PPAR mRNA was detected by RT-qPCR. Relative expression level of PPAR mRNA in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group. Compared with testosterone concentration at 10-2 mol/ml, testosterone concentration at 10-3 mol/ml significantly reduced the expression level of PPAR mRNA. When the INS concentration was 10-5 mol/ml, relative expression level of PPAR mRNA was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.01). Relative expression level of PPAR mRNA was significantly higher than that of the control group when INS concentration was 10-4 mol/ml. When the concentration of RGZ was 10-4 mol/ml, the relative expression level of PPAR mRNA was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.01). When concentration of RGZ was 10-3 mol/ml, expression level of PPAR mRNA was significantly increased comparing to that under a RGZ concentration of 10-4 mol/ml or that of the control group (P<0.01). Appropriate concentrations of testosterone can inhibit the expression of PPAR mRNA in ovarian granulosa cells, and certain concentrations of INS and RGZ can induce the expression of PPAR mRNA in ovarian granulosa cells. Abnormal expression of PPAR mRNA in ovarian granulosa cells may be related to the mechanism of PCOS.