Gene expression in rat ovaries treated with DHT

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder of the reproductive and metabolic axis in women during the reproductive age. In this study, we used a rat model exhibiting reproductive and metabolic abnormalities similar to human PCOS to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlining this complex syndrome. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with a silicone capsule continuous-releasing 5α-dehydrotestestrone (DHT) per day for 12 weeks to mimic the hyperandrogenic state in women with PCOS, and the control (CTL) groups received an empty capsule. The animals were euthanized at 15 weeks of age and the ovarian cortex tissues of both groups were used for transcriptome profile analysis.