Abstract: To study the expression of PPARγ mRNA in granulosa cells of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the impact of testosterone, insulin and PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone on granulosa cells (GCs).Methods: The expression of PPARγ mRNA in GCs of patients with PCOS and normal controls were analyzed by Real-time PCR. We assessed the level of PPARγ mRNA in GCs from normal controls after treatment with testosterone, insulin, and rosiglitazone.Results: The expression of PPARγ mRNA was lower in the GCs of PCOS than that of the controls (P<0.05). When testosterone concentration was 1 nmol/L, the expression of PPARγ mRNA was lower in the GCs as compared with  the blank control (P<0.05). When testosterone concentration was 10 nmol/L, PPARγ mRNA increased in the GCs as compared with the blank control, which was of no significance (P>0.05). When insulin concentration was 10 nmol/L, the expression of PPARγ mRNA was higher in the GCs as compared with the blank control (P<0.05). When insulin concentration was 100 nmol/L, the expression of PPARγ mRNA increased, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). When rosiglitazone concentration was 1 nmol/L, the expression of PPARγ mRNA in ovarian GCs significantly increased, as compared with the blank control (P<0.05). When rosiglitazone concentration was at 10 nmol/L, the PPARγ mRNA expression significantly increased, as compared with the concentration at 1 nmol/L (P<0.05).Conclusion: PPARγ mRNA expression is down-regulated by testosterone, and up-regulated by insulin and rosiglitazone with different dosages. Decreased PPARγ mRNA in the GCs of PCOS is related to the clinical characteristics of PCOS.

Key words: Polycystic ovary syndrome, PPAR gamma, Granulosa cells