title: Insulin as a factor of increased androgen production in women with obesity and polycystic ovaries.
abstract: To evaluate the possible role of moderate hyperinsulinemia on abnormal androgen secretion, we examined 4 age and weight-matched groups of obese subjects: 2 groups of women with normal menses whose fasting insulin (IRI) levels were less than or equal to 20 microU/ml (OB-I) or greater than or equal to 40 microU/ml (OB-I) and 2 groups of women with polycystic ovaries who were similarly grouped. All subjects underwent an oral glucose tolerance test, blood sex hormone determination and multiple LH determinations. Compared to OB, OB-PCO women showed significantly higher values of LH, androgen and estrogen concentrations. OB-I and OB-II showed similar hormonal patterns. On the contrary, OB-PCO-II presented significantly (p less than 0.05) higher androstenedione concentrations (348.7 +/- 129.9 ng/dl) (m +/- SD) than OB-PCO-I women (237.0 +/- 73.7 ng/dl). These differences were evident despite similar plasma LH concentrations. In conclusion, these results suggest that insulin may be a factor amplifying LH-dependent androgen secretion in hyperandrogenized women with obesity and PCO.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Medica I, Ospedale S. Orsola, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pasquali
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Antenucci
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Casimirri
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Venturoli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paradisi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fabbri
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Melchionda
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barbara
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000502:physiology*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D004967:Estrogens; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary; D007328:Insulin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone