title: Quercetin Decreases Insulin Resistance in a Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Rat Model by Improving Inflammatory Microenvironment.
abstract: Insulin resistance (IR) is a clinical feature of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Quercetin, derived from Chinese medicinal herbs such as hawthorn, has been proven practical in the management of IR in diabetes. However, whether quercetin could decrease IR in PCOS is unknown. This study aims to observe the therapeutic effect of quercetin on IR in a PCOS rat model and explore the underlying mechanism. An IR PCOS rat model was established by subcutaneous injection with dehydroepiandrosterone. The body weight, estrous cycle, and ovary morphology of the quercetin-treated rats were observed. Serum inflammatory cytokines were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In ovarian tissues, the expression of key genes involved in the inflammatory signaling pathway was detected through Western blot, real-time polymerase chain reaction, or immunohistochemistry. The nuclear translocation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) was also observed by immunofluorescence. The estrous cycle recovery rate of the insulin-resistant PCOS model after quercetin treatment was 58.33%. Quercetin significantly reduced the levels of blood insulin, interleukin 1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α. Quercetin also significantly decreased the granulosa cell nuclear translocation of NF-κB in the insulin-resistant PCOS rat model. The treatment inhibited the expression of inflammation-related genes, including the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase subunit p22phox, oxidized low-density lipoprotein, and Toll-like receptor 4, in ovarian tissue. Quercetin improved IR and demonstrated a favorable therapeutic effect on the PCOS rats. The underlying mechanism of quercetin potentially involves the inhibition of the Toll-like receptor/NF-κB signaling pathway and the improvement in the inflammatory microenvironment of the ovarian tissue of the PCOS rat model.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Traditional Chinese Gynecology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.|2 Department of Traditional Chinese Gynecology, Pudong TCM Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zhenzhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Traditional Chinese Gynecology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Dongxia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Traditional Chinese Gynecology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Danying
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Traditional Chinese Gynecology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Lingling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Traditional Chinese Gynecology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ruipin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Traditional Chinese Gynecology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Traditional Chinese Gynecology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Traditional Chinese Gynecology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chaoqin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011794:Quercetin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007328:Insulin; D011794:Quercetin
keywords: TLR/NF-κB signaling pathway; inflammatory microenvironment; insulin resistance; polycystic ovary syndrome; quercetin