We aimed to examine the alterations of the insulin signaling pathway, autophagy, nitrative
stress and the effect of vitamin D supplementation in the liver and ovaries of vitamin
D deficient hyperandrogenic rats.Female Wistar rats received eight weeks of transdermal
testosterone treatment and lived on a low vitamin D diet (D-T+). Vitamin D supplementation
was achieved by oral administration of vitamin D3 (D+T+). Sham-treated (D+T-) and
vitamin D deficient animals (D-T-) served as controls. (N = 10-12 per group).D-T+
animals showed decreased LC3 II levels in the liver and increased p-Akt/Akt and p-eNOS/eNOS
ratios with decreased insulin receptor staining in the ovaries. Vitamin D supplementation
prevented the increase of Akt phosphorylation in the ovaries. Vitamin D deficiency
itself also led to decreased LC3 II levels in the liver and decreased insulin receptor
staining in the ovaries. D-T+ group showed no increase in nitrotyrosine staining;
however, the ovaries of D-T- rats and the liver of D+T+ animals showed increased staining
intensity.Vitamin D deficiency itself might lead to disrupted ovarian maturation and
autophagy malfunction in the liver. Preventing Akt phosphorylation may contribute
to the beneficial effect of vitamin D treatment on ovarian function in hyperandrogenism.
