Kisspeptin expression features in the arcuate and anteroventral periventricular nuclei of hypothalamus of letrozole-induced polycystic ovarian syndrome in rats

Purpose Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder of the reproductive system characterized by polycystic ovaries and androgen excess. Letrozole is a nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor that is used in experimental research to induce PCOS. Kisspeptin is an essential protein in regulation of cyclicity. Kisspeptin receptor is expressed in the hypothalamus and pituitary glands, and kisspeptin containing neurons are affected from sex steroid hormones. We aimed to investigate the number of kisspeptin-positive cells in the arcuate (Arc) and anteroventral periventricular nuclei (AVPV) of hypothalamus in the letrozole-induced PCOS. Methods 40 female Wistar rats were divided into the proestrus control, diestrus control, proestrus vehicle, diestrus vehicle and letrozole. Animals were sacrificed after 3 weeks, and sera, ovary and brain samples were harvested for further evaluations. Results Letrozole group had high weight gain, high numbers of ovarian follicular cysts, high levels of luteinizing hormone and testosterone and increase number of kisspeptin-positive cells in the Arc nucleus, as compared with the control groups ( P ≤ 0.05 vs. proestrus control and proestrus vehicle). Letrozole group showed a decrease in the number of kisspeptin-positive cells in the AVPV nucleus ( P ≤ 0.05 vs. proestrus control and proestrus vehicle). Conclusion Our findings show that the number of kisspeptin-positive cells may be affected from letrozole, and that the changes in the number of these cells may be in favor of the appearance of PCOS features in this group.