Figure 7.

Reproductive parameters of ovary-intact rats 2 weeks after i.v. streptozotocin (STZ) injection. (A) Cytological profiles of vaginal lavage of all animals. STZ was injected on day 0 (C: non-diabetic control; ST60: STZ at 60 mg/kg BW; ST80: STZ at 80 mg/kg BW). The estrous cycle phase was determined based on the major cell population in the vaginal smear: proestrus (P), estrus (E), and diestrus (D). Diestrus was considered when the major cell population in the vaginal smear was nucleated cells and leucocytes such as unclear proestrus. (B) Proportion of each phase in the estrous cycle. (C) Plasma concentrations of estradiol (E2). (D and E) Representative images and the number of Kiss1 mRNA-expressing cells in the arcuate nucleus (ARC). (F) The number of kisspeptin-immunoreactive (ir) cells in the ARC. (G and H) Representative images and the number of Kiss1 mRNA-expressing cells in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV). Scale bar = 200 μm. (I, J, and K) Energy substrates in plasma samples; (I) glucose, (J) 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB), and (K) non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). Numbers in parentheses under each column represent the number of rats examined. Values with different letters are significantly different among each group (P < 0.05, one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test), (B, C, E, F, H, I, J, and K). Values are expressed as mean ± s.e. of the mean. Marks in each bar graph show individual values. n.s., not significant. Brains (D, E, F, G, and H) and plasma (C, I, J and K) were collected under anesthesia 2 weeks after STZ injection at diestrus stage.