title: [Effects of electroacupuncture of "Guanyuan" (CV 4)-"Zhongji" (CV 3) on ovarian P450 arom and P450c 17alpha expression and relevant sex hormone levels in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on ovarian P 450 arom and P 450 c 17 alpha (aromatases) expression and related sex hormone levels in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model group and EA group (10 rats/group). PCOS model was made by intragastric administration of letrozole at 1 mg/kg per day for consecutive 21 days. "Guanyuan" (CV 4) and "Zhongji" (CV 3) acupoints were stimulated 20 min by EA (2 mA, 2 Hz), once daily for consecutive 14 days. The damp ovarian weight was weighed and the pathological changes of the ovarian tissue were observed after H. E. staining. Ultrastructural changes of the ovarian tissue were observed by transmission electron microscope. Immunohistochemical staining was adopted to detect ovarian follicle granulosa cell P 450 arom and follicle membrane cell P 450 c 17 alpha expression. The contents of estradiol (E 2), estrone (E 1), androstenedione (ASD), testosterone (T), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in the ovarian tissue were measured by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the normal group, there was a significant increase in the damp weight of both left and right ovarian tissues in the model group (P < 0.01). After EA, the ovarian weight was remarkably reduced (P < 0.01). Pathological changes of the ovarian tissue such as thickening of the superficial albugineous coat of the ovary, thinning of the granular cell layer, and disappearance of the intraovular oocytes and coronaradiata under light microscope, and mitochondrion swelling, fracture or disappearance of mitochondrial cristae, and enlargement of the endoplasmic reticulum, etc. after modeling were obviously improved in the EA group. In comparison to the control group, the expression of the follicle granulosa cell P450 arom was significantly down-regulated and that of follicle membrane cell P 450 c 17 alpha was significantly upregulated in the model group (P < 0.01). After EA intervention these changes were obviously reversed (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). In the model group, there was a significant increase in the levels of ASD, T and LH in the ovarian tissues (P < 0.01) and a marked decrease in the contents of ovarian E 1 and E2 (P < 0.01) in comparison to the control group. After EA, the ovarian ASD, T and LH levels were notably decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and the E 1 and E 2 levels apparently increased (P < 0.01) compared with the model group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA can improve letrozole-induced pathological changes of ovarian morphology and ultrastructure and obviously promote P 450 arom expression in the follicle granulosa cell layer and inhibit P 450 c 17 alpha expression in the follicle membrane cell layer, as well as regulate sex hormone levels in PCOS rats, facilitating the normal transformation of ovarian androgen to estrogen and restoring the local endocrine disorders.
authors.affiliation: Yueyang Clinical Medical College Affiliated to Shanghai University of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Yueyang Clinical Medical College Affiliated to Shanghai University of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China.
authors.forename: Ji-meng
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Yueyang Clinical Medical College Affiliated to Shanghai University of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Acu-moxibustion and Meridians, Shanghai 200030.
authors.forename: Hui-rong
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Acu-moxibustion and Meridians, Shanghai 200030.
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Acu-moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700.
authors.forename: Chun-lan
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D001141:Aromatase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D010053:Ovary / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D001141:Aromatase; C501892:CYP17A1 protein, human; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase