After acupuncture intervention in PCOS rats (Fig. 8A), the PCOS group showed increased caspase-3, LncMEG3 and miR-21-3p mRNA transcription, increased cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 ratio, decreased Bcl-2 mRNA transcription, increased Bax mRNA transcription and decreased Bcl-2/Bax ratio compared to the normal group (all P < 0.0001) (Fig. 8B-I). Here, CASP3 is linked to polycystic ovary syndrome.