Evaluation of oocyte maturation in experimental PCOS model

Considering the difficulty of obtaining oocytes from women with PCOS, it is of great importance that the oocytes obtained after the experimental PCOS model has been established allow for maturation studies and that the data from these studies may contribute to future infertility treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting oocyte maturation after different drug applications in experimental PCOS mouse model. In four weeks old female Balb/C mice, the experimental PCOS model was generated by administration 6 mg/100g DHEA for 21 days. In the PCOS model mice after the administrations of only clomiphene citrate or clomiphene citrate, metformin and pioglitazone combined treatments, the changings of markers which affect the oocyte maturation Cep55, Cdk4, Hsp27, Nobox, Foxl2, Cx37, Cx43, Adamts-1 and Adamts-9 were evaluated in both ovaries and oocytes using immunoperoxidase and immnuofluorescent methods. The histological and morphological findings showed that the PCOS model was developed. In PCOS group, it was observed that the markers affecting oocyte maturation decreased in ovaries, especially in secondary follicles and oocytes, and in the ovaries of treatment groups the expression of markers in secondary and tertiary follicles and oocytes were increased. It was found that only Clomiphene Citrate treated group had higher expressions than the combined treatment group. The decrease in the expression of these markers in the PCOS group and the increase in the treatment groups is important for demonstrating new molecules in oocyte maturation with a complex molecular mechanism. Examining the same markers with more advanced techniques suggests that these markers will be new molecules to be used in oocyte maturation in PCOS patients.