Increased circulating levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 in women with the polycystic ovary syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in various pathological processes including inflammatory response, cardiovascular disease, and recently also in ovarian dysfunction. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy in women of reproductive age and is characterized by chronic anovulation, insulin resistance, and increased prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. Circulating levels of MMPs and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) so far have not been assessed in the PCOS.


METHODS
Serum levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 were measured in 23 women with PCOS [age (mean +/- sd), 30.5 +/- 6.7 yr; body mass index, 35.8 +/- 7.5 kg/m2] and 22 healthy, regularly menstruating women (age, 29.4 +/- 5.6; body mass index, 31.7 +/- 9.2 kg/m2).


RESULTS
Women with PCOS had significantly higher concentrations of MMP-2 (999.8 +/- 155 vs. 521.8 +/- 242 ng/ml; P < 0.001), MMP-9 (592.4 +/- 279 vs. 345 +/- 309; P = 0.007), and TIMP-1 levels (823.8 +/- 145 vs. 692 +/- 210 ng/ml; P = 0.02) than control healthy women. There was no difference in TIMP-2 levels (47.3 +/- 30 vs. 44.4 +/- 39.7 ng/ml; P = 0.21) between women with PCOS and controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Obese women with PCOS have elevated serum concentrations of MMP-2 and -9. It might be hypothesized that elevated MMP concentrations may be related to increased cardiovascular risk in PCOS and/or menstrual irregularities associated with this syndrome.
Lewandowski
K C
KC
Molecular Medicine Group, Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom.
Komorowski
J
J
O'Callaghan
C J
CJ
Tan
B K
BK
Chen
J
J
Prelevic
G M
GM
Randeva
H S
HS
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000097:blood*; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology; D009839:Oligomenorrhea / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology*; D012016:Reference Values
D007328:Insulin; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9