title: Up-regulation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway in the ovary of rats by chronic treatment with hCG and insulin.
abstract: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) manifests as chronic anovulation, ovarian hyperandrogenism, and follicular cysts, which are amplified by insulin as well as the inability of the hormone to stimulate glucose uptake in classic target tissues such as muscle and fat. In the present study, we evaluated the regulation of the insulin-signaling pathways by using immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting in whole extracts of ovaries from non-pregnant human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-treated rats, hyperinsulinemic-induced rats and hyperinsulinemic-induced rats, treated with hCG for 22 consecutive days. There were increased associations of insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 and IRS-2 with phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase, followed by enhanced protein kinase B (Akt) serine and threonine phosphorylation, in the ovaries of rats that were treated with hCG, either alone or with insulin. In contrast, the skeletal muscle demonstrated a reduced IRS-1/PI 3-kinase/Akt pathway in hyperinsulinemic-induced rats. These intracellular modifications were accompanied by follicular cysts, detected by optical microscopy, and increased androstenedione serum levels. In summary, our data show that chronic treatment with hCG or hCG plus insulin can induce changes in ovaries that simulate PCOS. In these situations, an increase in the insulin-induced IRS/PI 3-kinase/Akt pathway occurs in the ovary, suggesting that the activation of this pathway may have a role in the development of PCOS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo (USP), SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria H M
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Lílian C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Luciana C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Caperuto
authors.forename: Estela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bevilacqua
authors.forename: Alessandra L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Gasparetti
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zanuto
authors.forename: Mario J A
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Saad
authors.forename: Carla R O
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055504:Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D051058:Oncogene Protein v-akt / Q000032:analysis; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000032:analysis; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; C526292:IRS1 protein, human; C526297:IRS2 protein, human; D007328:Insulin; D055504:Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C526296:Irs1 protein, rat; C526299:Irs2 protein, rat; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D011972:Receptor, Insulin; D051058:Oncogene Protein v-akt; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases