Berberine regulates endocrine function in mice with polycystic ovary syndrome through PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β insulin signaling pathway

Purpose: To study the influence of berberine on endocrine status in mice with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and the underlying mechanism of action. Methods: A total of 80 mice were used in this research. Sixteen mice were randomly selected to serve as control. The remaining 64 mice were subcutaneously given dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) injection to establish a mouse model of PCOS. The PCOS mice were randomly divided into model group, and low-dose-, medium-dose and high-dose berberine groups. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and expression levels of PI3K/Akt/GSK-3 signaling pathway related proteins (PI3K 85, Akt2, p-GSK-3 Tyr216, p-GSK-3 beta Ser9, and GSK-3) were evaluated. Results: At 60 and 120 min, OGTT blood glucose level of model group was significantly higher than that of blank control group, but it was significantly lower in the berberine dose groups than in model group (p < 0.05). There were significantly higher protein expression levels of pi3k85, AKT2 and p-GSK-3 beta tyr116 in berberine dose groups than in model mice, but the protein levels of p-GSK-3 beta ser9 in berberine dose groups were significantly lower than that in model mice. Conclusion: Berberine improved endocrine function in PCOS mice through a mechanism involving regulation of the key proteins of PI3K/Akt/GSK-3 beta insulin signaling pathway. Thus, berberine may potentially play a similar role in humans with PCOS functions. However, clinical trials need to be carried out first.