LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME ON THE ENDOCRINE STATUS OF THE RAT UTERUS

IÑIGUEZ I; BRACHO GS; ACOSTA MV; BOSQUIAZZO VL

Mar del Plata

Congreso; REUNIÓN CONJUNTA SAIC SAB AAFE AACYTAL 2023; 2023

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a high riskof endometrial hyperplasia and cancer. These effects could be as-sociated with alterations in the tissue metabolism of steroid hor-mones. The objective of this study was to investigate how long-termPCOS affects the uterus of rats. Female Wistar rats were treatedsubcutaneously with sesame oil (CONTROL group) or dehydroepi-androsterone 6 mg/100 g body weight (PCOS group) from 21 to 40days of age. Then, the rats remained without any treatment. At 24months, blood and uterine horns were collected. To analyze the en-docrine environment in these animals we evaluated: a) serum levelsof estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4) and testosterone (T), b) mRNAexpression levels of uterine steroidogenic enzymes: steroidogenicacute regulatory protein (StAR), 17b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenaseisoform 1-3 (17b-HSD1, 17b-HSD2 and 17b-HSD3), 5a-reductaseisoform 1 (SRD5A1), aromatase (P450arom) and steroid sulfa-tase (STS), and c) mRNA expression of uterine steroid receptors:estrogen alpha (ESR1) and beta (ESR2), progesterone (PR) andandrogen (AR) receptors. The PCOS group showed no differenc-es in serum E2 and T levels compared to CONTROL, however,a decrease in P4 levels was observed. The uterine expression ofStAR, 17b-HSD1, 17b-HSD2, 17b-HSD3 and P450arom was similarbetween groups, but an increase of SRD5A1 and STS mRNA ex-pression was demonstrated in PCOS. Regarding steroid receptors,no changes were observed in ESR1, ESR2 and PR, however, ARdecreased in PCOS rats. These results suggest that the uterus ofPCOS rats is exposed to higher estrogenic effects due to increasedSTS that increase active estrogen levels and decreased P4 levelsthat do not oppose estrogen stimuli. This endocrine state could becontributing to the development of uterine lesions