Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a major severe ovary disorder affecting 5–10% of reproductive women around the world. PCOS can be considered a metabolic disease because it is often accompanied by obesity and diabetes. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) contains abundant mitochondria and adipokines and has been proven to be effective for treating various metabolic diseases. Recently, allotransplanted BAT successfully recovered the ovarian function of PCOS rat. However, BAT allotransplantation could not be applied to human PCOS; the most potent BAT is from infants, so voluntary donors are almost inaccessible. We recently reported that single BAT xenotransplantation significantly prolonged the fertility of aging mice and did not cause obvious immunorejection. However, PCOS individuals have distinct physiologies from aging mice; thus, it remains essential to study whether xenotransplanted rat BAT can be used for treating PCOS mice. In this study, rat-to-mouse BAT xenotransplantation, fortunately, did not cause severe rejection reaction, and significantly recovered ovarian functions, indicated by the recovery of fertility, oocyte quality, and the levels of multiple essential genes and kinases. Besides, the blood biochemical index, glucose resistance, and insulin resistance were improved. Moreover, transcriptome analysis showed that the recovered PCOS F0 mother following BAT xenotransplantation could also benefit the F1 generation. Finally, BAT xenotransplantation corrected characteristic gene expression abnormalities found in the ovaries of human PCOS patients. These findings suggest that BAT xenotransplantation could be a novel therapeutic strategy for treating PCOS patients.

Aldosterone is a mineralocorticoid hormone involved in controlling electrolyte balance, blood pressure, and cellular signaling. It plays a pivotal role in cardiovascular and metabolic physiology. Excess aldosterone activates mineralocorticoid receptors, leading to subsequent inflammatory responses, increased oxidative stress, and tissue remodeling. Various mechanisms have been reported to link aldosterone with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. However, mitochondria, responsible for energy generation through oxidative phosphorylation, have received less attention regarding their potential role in aldosterone-related pathogenesis. Excess aldosterone leads to mitochondrial dysfunction, and this may play a role in the development of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Aldosterone has the potential to affect mitochondrial structure, function, and dynamic processes, such as mitochondrial fusion and fission. In addition, aldosterone has been associated with the suppression of mitochondrial DNA, mitochondria-specific proteins, and ATP production in the myocardium through mineralocorticoid receptor, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase, and reactive oxygen species pathways. In this review, we explore the mechanisms underlying aldosterone-induced cardiovascular and metabolic mitochondrial dysfunction, including mineralocorticoid receptor activation and subsequent inflammatory responses, as well as increased oxidative stress. Furthermore, we review potential therapeutic targets aimed at restoring mitochondrial function in the context of aldosterone-associated pathologies. Understanding these mechanisms is vital, as it offers insights into novel therapeutic strategies to mitigate the impact of aldosterone-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, thereby potentially improving the outcomes of individuals affected by cardiovascular and metabolic disorders.

Hyperglycemia plays a major role in the development of diabetic macrovascular complications, including atherosclerosis and restenosis, which are responsible for the most of disability and mortality in diabetic patients. Osteopontin (OPN) is an important factor involved in atherogenesis, and hyperglycemia enhances the transcriptional activity of FoxO1 which is closely association with insulin resistance and diabetes. Here, we showed that plasma OPN levels were significantly elevated in type 2 diabetic patients and positively correlated with glycated albumin (GA). The more atherosclerotic lesions were observed in the aorta of diabetic ApoE^−/− mice analyzed by Sudan IV staining. High glucose increased both the mRNA and protein expression levels of OPN and inhibited the phosphorylation of FoxO1 in RAW 264.7 cells. Overexpression of WT or constitutively active mutant FoxO1 promoted the expression levels of OPN, while the dominant-negative mutant FoxO1 decreased slightly the expression of OPN. Conversely, knockdown of FoxO1 reduced the expression of OPN. Luciferase reporter assay revealed that high glucose and overexpression of FoxO1 enhanced the activities of the OPN promoter region nt −1918 ~ −713. Furthermore, the interactions between FoxO1 and the OPN promoter were confirmed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (ChIP). Our results suggest that high glucose upregulates OPN expression via FoxO1 activation, which would play a critical role in the development of diabetic atherogenesis.