Research Paper Volume 13, Issue 5 pp 7084—7095

Figure 4. Influence of PAE on the activation of TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway in PCOS rats was evaluated by qRT-PCR (mean ± SEM, n=10 for each group). (A, B) The mRNA levels of TGF-β1 and Smad3 in the ovarian tissues of PCOSR group were significantly higher than those in the SDR group (P < 0.001). The treatment with PAE reduced the mRNA levels of TGF-β1 and Smad3 (P < 0.05). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 and ***P < 0.001 vs. SDR group. #P < 0.05, ##P< 0.01 and ###P< 0.01 vs. PCOSR group. (C, D) The mRNA expression levels of Smad7 and MMP2 in the ovarian tissues of PCOSR group were significantly lower than those in the SDR group (P < 0.001). The Treatment with PAE increased the mRNA expression levels of Smad7 and MMP2 (P < 0.05). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 and ***P < 0.001 vs. SDR group. #P < 0.05, ##P< 0.01 and ###P< 0.01 vs. PCOSR group. PCOS, polycystic ovarian syndrome; SDR, normal control group; PCOSR, PCOS model group; PAE-L, PAE low-dose group (20mg/kg/d); PAE-M, PAE middle-dose group (40mg/kg/d); PAE-H, PAE high-dose group (80mg/kg/d).