Molecular abnormalities in oocytes from women with polycystic ovary syndrome revealed by microarray analysis.
BACKGROUND
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common cause of anovulatory infertility, is characterized by increased ovarian androgen production and arrested follicle development and is frequently associated with insulin resistance. These PCOS phenotypes are associated with exaggerated ovarian responsiveness to FSH and increased pregnancy loss.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to examine whether the perturbations in follicle growth and the intrafollicular environment affect gene expression and ultimately development of the PCOS oocyte.


METHODS
Oocyte cDNA was subjected to microarray and PCR analysis.


METHODS
This study was conducted at a university laboratory.


METHODS
The study comprised 10 normal ovulatory women and nine women with PCOS.


METHODS
The intervention was GnRH analog/recombinant human FSH therapy for in vitro fertilization.


METHODS
The main outcome measure was mRNA abundance of oocyte-expressed genes.


RESULTS
Cluster analysis revealed differences in global gene expression profiles between normal and PCOS oocytes. Of the 8123 transcripts expressed in the oocytes, 374 genes showed significant differences in mRNA abundance in PCOS oocytes. Annotation of the data demonstrated that a subset of these genes was associated with chromosome alignment and segregation during mitosis and/or meiosis. Furthermore, 68 of the differentially expressed genes contained putative androgen receptor and/or peroxisome proliferating receptor gamma binding sites.


CONCLUSIONS
These analyses demonstrated that normal and PCOS oocytes that are morphologically indistinguishable and of high quality exhibit different gene expression profiles. Promoter analysis suggests that androgens and other activators of nuclear receptors may play a role in differential gene expression in the PCOS oocyte. Likewise, annotation of the differentially expressed genes suggests that defects in meiosis or early embryonic development may contribute to reduced developmental competency of PCOS oocytes.
Wood
Jennifer R
JR
Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 3800 Fair Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0908, USA. jwood5@unl.edu
Dumesic
Daniel A
DA
Abbott
David H
DH
Strauss
Jerome F
JF
D001483:Base Sequence; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018385:Centrosome / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics; D008938:Mitosis / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000235:genetics; D047490:Retinoid X Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D047495:PPAR gamma; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D047490:Retinoid X Receptor alpha