title: Is the polycystic ovary syndrome associated with chronic inflammation per se?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), TNF-soluble receptors, and IL-6 in obese women without additional diseases and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 39 obese women with PCOS and 34 age-matched obese women without additional disease were included as controls. Blood glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured by the enzymatic procedure. Plasma insulin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), androstenedione, total and free testosterone, cortisol, progesterone, 17OH-progesterone, estradiol, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were measured by a commercial radioimmunoassay (RIA). Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), soluble TNF receptors (sTNFRs), and IL-6 were determined by an ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We did not observe any differences in serum concentrations of TNF-alpha between obese women with and without PCOS. Serum concentrations of sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 were significantly higher in PCOS patients compared with controls; however, serum concentrations of IL-6 were significantly lower in PCOS patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that PCOS is not associated with chronic inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Silesian University School of Medicine, Medyków Street 18, 40-752 Katowice, Poland. magols@esculap.pl
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olszanecka-Glinianowicz
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Banaś
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zahorska-Markiewicz
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Janowska
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kocełak
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Madej
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Klimek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I / Q000097:blood*; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II / Q000097:blood*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha