Therapeutic Efficacy of Melatonin Against Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Induced by Letrozole in Wistar Rat

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common heterogeneous endocrinological and metabolic disorder in women of reproductive age which leads to infertility/subfertility. The present study was commenced to elucidate the therapeutic efficacy of melatonin in the pathogenesis of letrozole induced polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in Wistar rat. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Letrozole was administered orally (1 mg kg-1) to induce PCOS condition in Wistar female rats for a period of 2-3 weeks followed by a dose of melatonin (200 µg/100 g b.wt.) to PCOS induced rats. On the completion of experimental period the level of cytokines and expression level of different receptors was assessed. RESULTS: The PCOs rats showed down regulation in melatonin (MT1 and MT2), estrogen (ER-α) and cytokine (IL-2R and IL-6R) receptors expression and high circulatory level of IL-6 and TNF-α during PCO condition. These anomalies in expression pattern and circulatory level of cytokines were restored following the treatment. CONCLUSION: Finding of present study showed the role of melatonin supplementation at receptor level and also suggesting a crosstalk between MT1R / MT2R via cytokine IL-2R and IL-6R resulting in modulation of ER-α receptors.