title: Genetic variants associated with insulin signaling and glucose homeostasis in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polycystic ovary syndrome must be recognized as a serious issue due to its implication on long term health regardless of an individual's age. PCOS and insulin resistance are interlinked, as approximately 40 % of women with PCOS are insulin resistant. However, the detailed molecular basis for insulin resistance that is coupled with PCOS remains poorly understood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review the published evidence that polymorphisms in genes that are involved in insulin secretion and action are associated with an increased risk of PCOS.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed articles published through November 2012 which concerned polymorphisms of genes related to insulin signaling and glucose homeostasis as well as their associations with PCOS. The articles were identified via Medline searches.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No consistent evidence emerged of a strong association between the risk of PCOS and any known gene that is related to insulin signaling and glucose homeostasis. Moreover, recent genome-wide association studies are inconsistent in identifying the associations between PCOS and insulin metabolism genes. Many of the studies reviewed were limited by heterogeneity in the PCOS diagnosis and by not have having a sufficient number of study participants. Further studies are warranted to determine predisposing risk factors which could modify environmental factors and thus reduce the risk of PCOS. Large genome-wide association studies devoted solely to PCOS will be necessary to identify new candidate genes and proteins that are involved in PCOS risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Sri Ramachandra University, No.1 Ramachandra Nagar, Porur, Chennai 600 116, India. lvksbhaskar@gmail.com
authors.forename: Bhaskar Venkata Kameswara Subrahmanya
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Lakkakula
authors.forename: Maheswari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thangavelu
authors.forename: Usha Rani
authors.initials: UR
authors.lastname: Godla
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D005947:Glucose