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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is characterized by anovulation, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries, is a complex endocrinopathy. Because the cause of PCOS at the molecular level is largely unknown, there is no cure or specific treatment for PCOS. Here, we show that transplantation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) reversed anovulation, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries in a dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)-induced PCOS rat. BAT transplantation into a PCOS rat significantly stabilized menstrual irregularity and improved systemic insulin sensitivity up to a normal level, which was not shown in a sham-operated or muscle-transplanted PCOS rat. Moreover, BAT transplantation, not sham operation or muscle transplantation, surprisingly improved fertility in PCOS rats. Interestingly, BAT transplantation activated endogenous BAT and thereby increased the circulating level of adiponectin, which plays a prominent role in whole-body energy metabolism and ovarian physiology. Consistent with BAT transplantation, administration of adiponectin protein dramatically rescued DHEA-induced PCOS phenotypes. These results highlight that endogenous BAT activity is closely related to the development of PCOS phenotypes and that BAT activation might be a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of PCOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Vitexin-2″- O-rhamnoside ( VOR) and vitexin-4″- O-glucoside ( VOG) are the two main flavonoid glycosides of the leaves of C ratagus pinnatifida Bge. var. major N. E. Br. that has been widely used for the treatment of cardiovascular system diseases. In this study, we simultaneously investigated the influence of VOR and VOG on human adipose-derived stem cells (h ADSCs) injury induced by hydrogen peroxide ( H2O2) to further characterize their anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic activity. Methods h ADSCs were isolated, cultured in vitro and pretreated with 62.5 μ m VOR or 120 μ m VOG for 24 h and then exposed to 500 μ m H2O2 for an additional 4 h. Key findings Pretreatment of h ADSCs with VOR and VOG was demonstrated to significantly ameliorate the toxicity and apoptosis effects, such as morphological distortion, nuclear condensation, decreased intracellular caspase-3 activity and percentage of cells in apoptosis/necrosis by using morphological assay, immunocytochemistry and flow cytometric evaluation. In addition, VOR and VOG caused no cytotoxic effect on hADSCs at concentrations up to 250 and 480 μ m, respectively. Conclusions Our results indicated that both VOR and VOG contribute to the protection against H2O2-mediated oxidative stress damage and could be safely used for a wide range of concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]