Increased micronucleus frequencies in peripheral blood lymphocytes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to assess possible genomic instability in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).


METHODS
The frequency of micronuclei in cultured peripheral lymphocytes was used as a biomarker of genomic instability in somatic cells.


METHODS
Nineteen women, diagnosed with PCOS and 19 healthy female volunteers of corresponding ages and body-mass index (BMI) were included in the study. Micronuclei frequencies were assessed in cytokinesis-blocked lymphocytes.


RESULTS
The frequency of micronucleated cells (per thousand) was 9.00 (5.00) (interquartile range in parentheses) for patient group and 3.0 (3.0) for the control group (P < 0.0001, Mann-Whitney U-test). The serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, prolactin, glucose and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and the homeostasis model of assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were not different between the two groups (P > 0.05). Serum total testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and insulin levels and hirsutism score in the PCOS group were significantly (P = 0.007, P < 0.0001, P = 0.009 and P < 0.0001 respectively) higher than those of the control group (2.3 (2.1) nmol/l vs 1.7 (0.4) nmol/l; 8.5 (5.88) mU/ml vs 4.8 (4.4) mU/ml; 6.8 (5.1) microU/ml vs 9.7 (4.2) microU/ml; 19.5 (6.5) vs 4.0 (2.5) respectively). However, the mean level of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in PCOS group was significantly (P = 0.004) lower than in control group (36.4(22.6) nmol/l vs 48.6(25.2) nmol/l respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that women with PCOS have a high incidence of genomic instability, and this condition is positively correlated with the hirsutism score, BMI, LH and serum total testosterone and insulin levels, and is negatively correlated with SHBG.
Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey. eyesilada@inonu.edu.tr
Elif
E
Yesilada
Ibrahim
I
Sahin
Hamdi
H
Ozcan
Ibrahim Halil
IH
Yildirim
Saim
S
Yologlu
Cagatay
C
Taskapan
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone