Effects of Electroacupuncture on Ovarian Expression of the Androgen Receptor and Connexin 43 in Rats with Letrozole-Induced Polycystic Ovaries

<div>The effects of EA on AR and Cx43 expression in ovarian tissues of rats in the three groups (<i>n</i> = 3 rats/group). (a) Representative immunoblots of AR and Cx43 protein are shown. (b) The bar graph shows the levels of expression relative to that of actin bands in rats’ ovarian tissue from three groups. Error bars represent the SEM. <svg height="9.2729pt" id="M44" style="vertical-align:-0.6370001pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -8.6359 57.3661 9.2729" width="57.3661pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M448 453H361L394 608H355L322 453H214L248 608H210L176 453H79L70 395H163L134 259H35L24 201H120L82 27H120L158 201H266L229 27H267L305 201H395L404 259H318L348 395H439L448 453ZM310 395L280 259H173L202 395H310Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,6.24,0)"><path d="M448 453H361L394 608H355L322 453H214L248 608H210L176 453H79L70 395H163L134 259H35L24 201H120L82 27H120L158 201H266L229 27H267L305 201H395L404 259H318L348 395H439L448 453ZM310 395L280 259H173L202 395H310Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,12.527,0)"><path d="M600 480C600 590 528 650 384 650H143L137 622C222 614 225 607 210 531L130 127C113 41 106 36 23 28L17 0H294L300 28C204 36 195 42 212 127L243 284L314 263C327 263 339 263 352 264C465 271 600 337 600 480ZM508 481C508 351 402 304 329 304C289 304 265 311 250 317L295 559C302 594 310 606 323 611C335 616 350 619 367 619C455 619 508 573 508 481Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,24.185,0)"><path d="M512 -3V55L134 254V256L512 456V514L75 281V230L512 -3Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,35.448,0)"><path d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,41.688,0)"><path d="M113 -12C146 -12 170 11 170 46C170 78 146 103 114 103S58 78 58 46C58 11 82 -12 113 -12Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,44.652,0)"><path d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,50.892,0)"><path d="M384 0V27C293 34 287 42 287 114V635C232 613 172 594 109 583V559L157 557C201 555 205 550 205 499V114C205 42 199 34 109 27V0H384Z"></path></g></svg> vs control group; <svg height="9.2729pt" id="M45" style="vertical-align:-0.6370001pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -8.6359 52.4989 9.2729" width="52.4989pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M471 153C471 170 463 194 452 212C400 220 373 229 322 255C373 281 400 290 452 298C463 316 471 339 471 357C456 366 431 371 410 370C377 329 356 310 308 279C311 336 317 364 336 413C326 432 310 451 294 459C279 451 262 432 252 413C271 364 277 336 280 279C232 310 211 329 178 370C157 371 132 367 117 357C117 340 125 316 136 298C188 290 215 281 266 255C215 229 188 220 136 212C125 194 117 171 117 153C132 144 157 139 178 140C211 181 232 200 280 231C277 174 271 146 252 97C262 78 278 59 294 51C309 59 326 78 336 97C317 146 311 174 308 231C356 200 377 181 410 140C431 139 456 143 471 153Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,7.66,0)"><path d="M600 480C600 590 528 650 384 650H143L137 622C222 614 225 607 210 531L130 127C113 41 106 36 23 28L17 0H294L300 28C204 36 195 42 212 127L243 284L314 263C327 263 339 263 352 264C465 271 600 337 600 480ZM508 481C508 351 402 304 329 304C289 304 265 311 250 317L295 559C302 594 310 606 323 611C335 616 350 619 367 619C455 619 508 573 508 481Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,19.318,0)"><path d="M512 -3V55L134 254V256L512 456V514L75 281V230L512 -3Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,30.58,0)"><path d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,36.82,0)"><path d="M113 -12C146 -12 170 11 170 46C170 78 146 103 114 103S58 78 58 46C58 11 82 -12 113 -12Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,39.784,0)"><path d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,46.024,0)"><path d="M153 550H386L412 615L406 623H120L82 318C104 327 142 338 184 338C294 338 347 275 347 187C347 112 305 39 221 39C160 39 119 71 97 89C88 97 80 96 71 90C59 80 50 67 49 57C48 45 52 36 66 23C80 9 123 -12 169 -12C221 -11 288 15 342 59C403 109 431 165 431 225C431 308 366 395 238 395C212 395 165 379 127 364L153 550Z"></path></g></svg> vs LE group. (c) The bar graph shows the levels of expression relative to that of Gapdh bands in rats’ ovarian tissue from three groups. Error bars represent the SEM. <svg height="9.2729pt" id="M46" style="vertical-align:-0.6370001pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -8.6359 51.1027 9.2729" width="51.1027pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M448 453H361L394 608H355L322 453H214L248 608H210L176 453H79L70 395H163L134 259H35L24 201H120L82 27H120L158 201H266L229 27H267L305 201H395L404 259H318L348 395H439L448 453ZM310 395L280 259H173L202 395H310Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,6.24,0)"><path d="M600 480C600 590 528 650 384 650H143L137 622C222 614 225 607 210 531L130 127C113 41 106 36 23 28L17 0H294L300 28C204 36 195 42 212 127L243 284L314 263C327 263 339 263 352 264C465 271 600 337 600 480ZM508 481C508 351 402 304 329 304C289 304 265 311 250 317L295 559C302 594 310 606 323 611C335 616 350 619 367 619C455 619 508 573 508 481Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,17.898,0)"><path d="M512 -3V55L134 254V256L512 456V514L75 281V230L512 -3Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,29.161,0)"><path d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,35.401,0)"><path d="M113 -12C146 -12 170 11 170 46C170 78 146 103 114 103S58 78 58 46C58 11 82 -12 113 -12Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,38.365,0)"><path d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,44.605,0)"><path d="M153 550H386L412 615L406 623H120L82 318C104 327 142 338 184 338C294 338 347 275 347 187C347 112 305 39 221 39C160 39 119 71 97 89C88 97 80 96 71 90C59 80 50 67 49 57C48 45 52 36 66 23C80 9 123 -12 169 -12C221 -11 288 15 342 59C403 109 431 165 431 225C431 308 366 395 238 395C212 395 165 379 127 364L153 550Z"></path></g></svg> vs control group; <svg height="9.2729pt" id="M47" style="vertical-align:-0.6370001pt" version="1.1" viewbox="-0.0498162 -8.6359 52.4989 9.2729" width="52.4989pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path d="M471 153C471 170 463 194 452 212C400 220 373 229 322 255C373 281 400 290 452 298C463 316 471 339 471 357C456 366 431 371 410 370C377 329 356 310 308 279C311 336 317 364 336 413C326 432 310 451 294 459C279 451 262 432 252 413C271 364 277 336 280 279C232 310 211 329 178 370C157 371 132 367 117 357C117 340 125 316 136 298C188 290 215 281 266 255C215 229 188 220 136 212C125 194 117 171 117 153C132 144 157 139 178 140C211 181 232 200 280 231C277 174 271 146 252 97C262 78 278 59 294 51C309 59 326 78 336 97C317 146 311 174 308 231C356 200 377 181 410 140C431 139 456 143 471 153Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,7.66,0)"><path d="M600 480C600 590 528 650 384 650H143L137 622C222 614 225 607 210 531L130 127C113 41 106 36 23 28L17 0H294L300 28C204 36 195 42 212 127L243 284L314 263C327 263 339 263 352 264C465 271 600 337 600 480ZM508 481C508 351 402 304 329 304C289 304 265 311 250 317L295 559C302 594 310 606 323 611C335 616 350 619 367 619C455 619 508 573 508 481Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,19.318,0)"><path d="M512 -3V55L134 254V256L512 456V514L75 281V230L512 -3Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,30.58,0)"><path d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,36.82,0)"><path d="M113 -12C146 -12 170 11 170 46C170 78 146 103 114 103S58 78 58 46C58 11 82 -12 113 -12Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,39.784,0)"><path d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"></path></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,46.024,0)"><path d="M153 550H386L412 615L406 623H120L82 318C104 327 142 338 184 338C294 338 347 275 347 187C347 112 305 39 221 39C160 39 119 71 97 89C88 97 80 96 71 90C59 80 50 67 49 57C48 45 52 36 66 23C80 9 123 -12 169 -12C221 -11 288 15 342 59C403 109 431 165 431 225C431 308 366 395 238 395C212 395 165 379 127 364L153 550Z"></path></g></svg> vs LE group.</div>

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

fig8

Figure 8

Figure 8: Effects of Electroacupuncture on Ovarian Expression of the Androgen Receptor and Connexin 43 in Rats with Letrozole-Induced Polycystic Ovaries 

Figure 8 | Effects of Electroacupuncture on Ovarian Expression of the Androgen Receptor and Connexin 43 in Rats with Letrozole-Induced Polycystic Ovaries 