Investigating the self-healing potential of polycystic ovary syndrome in a mouse model: Implications for offspring health

Abstract

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent metabolic endocrine disorder in reproductive-aged women. This study aims to investigate the self-healing ability of PCOS and its potential impact on offspring. Methods: Female C57 BL/6J mice aged 4–5 weeks were administered letrozole (1 mg/kg/d) and a high-fat diet for 21 days to establish a PCOS model, and a control group was established. After modeling, the mice were divided into a PCOS model group and a self-healing group. After 14 days, the mice were mated, and the growth of their offspring was recorded. Subsequently, all mice were euthanized to collect serum, ovaries, and testes. The results showed that the self-healing group PCOS phenotype has shown improvement when compared to the model group. The findings from the offspring study indicate that all offspring in the model group died, while the self-healing group had offspring with a lower weight at 7 days and higher blood glucose levels. Additionally, the testicular morphology of male offspring in the self-healing group was poor. The conclusion drawn is that, after removing the pathogenic factors, the PCOS model group can self-heal. However, fertility remains impaired, which has an impact on their offspring.