{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,19]],"date-time":"2026-06-19T04:53:44Z","timestamp":1781844824472,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,19]],"date-time":"2026-06-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1781827200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Endocrinol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Hydrogen sulfide (H\n                      <jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub>\n                      S) has emerged as a potential regulator of ovarian physiology; however, its role in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the H\n                      <jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub>\n                      S donor sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) on ovarian steroidogenesis, apoptosis and follicular remodelling in a dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)-induced rat model of PCOS.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Thirty adult female Wistar rats were randomly assigned to control, vehicle, PCOS, NaHS, and PCOS+NaHS groups (n=6 each). PCOS was induced by daily subcutaneous injections (s.c) of DHEA (6 mg\/100\u00a0g body weight) for 20 days. NaHS (200 \u03bcg\/kg\/day) was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.), either alone or in combination with DHEA. Serum hormone levels were analyzed, estrous cyclicity was tracked, and ovarian tissues were examined histologically for follicular development, apoptosis, and the expression of key steroidogenic enzymes (StAR, 3\u03b2-HSD, CYP19A1) and H\n                      <jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub>\n                      S-producing enzymes (CBS, CTH) at both protein and mRNA levels.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>DHEA treatment resulted in disrupted estrous cyclicity, elevated serum estradiol and progesterone levels, reduced numbers of primordial, primary, Graafian follicles and corpora lutea, and increased cystic and atretic follicles. Apoptotic activity and the expression of StAR, 3\u03b2-HSD, and CYP19A1 were significantly elevated, whereas CBS and CTH expression levels were reduced. NaHS administration attenuated DHEA-induced alterations by improving estrous cyclicity, reducing follicular damage and apoptosis, downregulating steroidogenic enzyme overexpression, and partially restoring CBS and CTH expression.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Pharmacological supplementation with the H\n                      <jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub>\n                      S donor NaHS was associated with modulation of steroidogenic enzyme expression, apoptotic activity, and follicular architecture in a DHEA-induced PCOS model. These findings suggest a potential regulatory interaction between H\n                      <jats:sub>2<\/jats:sub>\n                      S-related pathways and ovarian dysfunction in PCOS, warranting further mechanistic investigation.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fendo.2026.1850337","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,19]],"date-time":"2026-06-19T04:31:04Z","timestamp":1781843464000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Hydrogen sulfide donor sodium hydrosulfide modulates ovarian steroidogenesis and follicular integrity in a DHEA-induced rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Aysun","family":"Ozbay Onal","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Istanbul Ayd\u0131n University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology","place":["Istanbul, 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