Increased homocysteine regulated by androgen activates autophagy by suppressing the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway in the granulosa cells of polycystic ovary syndrome mice

The purpose of this study was to explore the potential molecular mechanisms of excess homocysteine in relation to autophagic activity in the ovarian tissue of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) with hyperandrogenism.A PCOS model was constructed using ICR mice. ELISA was used to detect the Hcy levels in the serum and ovarian tissues of PCOS model. The expression level of key enzymes (Methionine synthase and Betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase, MTR and BHMT) in homocysteine metabolism and autophagy-related proteins were detected in ovarian tissues and mouse granulosa cells (mGCs) that were treated with homocysteine, androgen, autophagy inhibitors or BHMT-expressing plasmid by western blot and immunohistochemistry. Electron microscope experiments were used to evaluate autophagosomes in Hcy-treated mGCs. The prenatally androgenized (PNA) PCOS mouse model showed hyperhomocysteinemia and hyperandrogenism. Homocysteine levels displayed a significant increase, while its metabolic enzymes levels were significantly decreased in ovarian tissues of PCOS mice and dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-stimulated mGCs. The LC3II and Beclin1 expression levels were increased and the P62 and p-mTOR levels were decreased in vivo in ovarian tissue from the PCOS mice. The in vitro data were similarly with the in vivo by stimulation of mGCs with DHT or homocysteine. These effects could be diminished by the autophagy inhibitor (MHY1485), androgen receptor antagonists (ARN509) or BHMT-expressing plasmid. Androgen increases homocysteine concentration by downregulating the key enzymes in homocysteine metabolism. And then Hcy promotes GCs autophagy via the mTOR signal pathway.