Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42429978›Full record

ArticleHistochemistry and cell biology2026

Retinoic acid disrupts cumulus granulosa cells function via EGFR downregulation: induction of PCOS and infertility in adult female mice.

Ahmed Said, Mostafa Marzouk, Abdelrahman Mahmoud, Mohamed Emad, Mostafa Elkhbery, Khairiah Mubarak Alwutayd, Mariam Abdulaziz Alkhateeb, Murdhy A Aldawsari, Abd Elaziz Shokry, Amira S AbdElkhalek

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Article in Histochemistry and cell biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Ahmed SaidZoology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt. ahmed.said@azhar.edu.eg.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5561-2352
Mostafa MarzoukZoology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
Abdelrahman MahmoudZoology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
Mohamed EmadZoology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
Mostafa ElkhberyZoology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
Khairiah Mubarak AlwutaydDepartment of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, 11671, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mariam Abdulaziz AlkhateebDepartment of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, 11671, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Murdhy A AldawsariNursing Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences in Wade Aldwaser, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Abd Elaziz ShokryNeurology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Asyut, Egypt.
Amira S AbdElkhalekZoology Department, Faculty of Science "Girls", Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

Funding

Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University PNURSP2026R294
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent metabolic and neuroendocrine disease affecting females of childbearing age. Irregular ovulation, elevated androgen levels, and the presence of multiple ovarian cysts characterize it. This study aimed to investigate the prolonged impact of RA on female fertility during three oestrus cycles, utilizing biochemical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical analyses. Twelve female mice were classified into two groups of 6 animals each: (1) the negative control group that received DMSO diluted with sunflower oil, and (2) the positive control group that received a 10 mg/kg dose of retinoic acid. For 15 days, intraperitoneal injections were given daily. The animals were physically euthanized by slaughter on day 16 after treatment. Histopathological and immunohistochemical expression of EGFR, as well as hormonal level investigations, including FSH and LH, were performed on day 16. A 10 mg/kg RA daily dose for 15 days significantly induces FSH and reduces LH. In addition, we revealed that exogenous excess RA leads to PCOS, which causes an increase in cystic follicles and a reduction in antral follicles and corpus luteum. Immunohistochemically, excessive RA suppresses the expression of EGFR, which is localized in granulosa cells. Our investigation concluded that inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling resulting from long-term high-dose treatment with retinoic acid (RA) affects cumulus granulosa cell proliferation and oocyte maturation. So, vitamin A may harm female fertility.

Indexed as

Cumulus CellsDown-RegulationErbB ReceptorsGranulosa CellsInfertility, FemalePolycystic Ovary SyndromeTretinoinAnimalsFemaleMiceEGFR protein, mouseErbB ReceptorsTretinoinEGFRGranulosa cellsPCOSRetinoic acidVitamin A

Identifiers

PMID42429978

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.