Electroacupuncture improved polycystic ovary syndrome-like features in rats by activating a cellular energy pathway that suppresses a key lipid-metabolism regulator.
Researchers induced polycystic ovary syndrome-like symptoms in rats using dehydroepiandrosterone, then treated them with electroacupuncture at two traditional acupuncture points for five weeks. They also isolated ovarian granulosa cells from control and affected rats to examine insulin responsiveness, mitochondrial function, and oxidative stress. To test the role of sterol regulatory element binding protein one, they increased its expression using a lentiviral method.
Electroacupuncture reduced sterol regulatory element binding protein one expression, improved ovarian pathology, hormone imbalance, insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress. Artificially increasing this regulator weakened these benefits and reduced insulin signaling in granulosa cells. The findings indicate that electroacupuncture activates adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, thereby lowering the lipid-metabolism regulator and protecting ovarian cells.
