Altered Hormone and Bioactive Lipid Plasma Profile in Rodent Models of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Revealed by Targeted Mass Spectrometry

This study investigates the plasma lipid profiles in rodent models of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) using a mass spectrometry-based targeted lipidomics workflow. The research found that letrozole treatment in rats significantly elevated 5α-androstene-3,17-dione and testosterone, while dihydrotestosterone treatment increased dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate and allopregnanolone but reduced testosterone, progesterone, pregnenolone, and D-sphingosine. Both models showed decreased levels of 25-hydroxycholesterol and leukotriene C4, and increased 4-cholesten-3-one, which are not typically altered in human PCOS. These findings indicate that while the rodent models exhibit some similarities to human PCOS in terms of altered sterols, leukotrienes, and steroid hormones, there are significant differences in specific metabolites.