title: The correlation of aromatase activity and obesity in women with or without polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to investigate the effect of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) on the association of aromatase activity assessed by estradiol-to-testosterone ratio (E2/T) with body mass index (BMI) in women.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cohort study in five centers for reproductive medicine in China. Data were collected from July 2012 to December 2013. PCOS patients (n = 785) and non PCOS, healthy, age-matched controls (n = 297) were included. Plasma sex hormones including estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured by ELISA, together with BMI and E2/T being calculated, on the third day of the menstrual cycle. Aromatase activity in PCOS patients with different BMI, T and E2 levels were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  E2/T was significantly lower (P < 0.05) while BMI was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in PCOS than non-PCOS. No significant difference was observed in E2/T among different BMI subgroups of either PCOS or control. Ovarian aromatase activity was decreased in PCOS patients which was independent of BMI. Hyperestrogen promoted ovarian aromatase activity, while hyperandrogen inhibited such activity, both in a dose-dependent, biphasic manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ovarian aromatase activity was lower in PCOS, which was independent of BMI. New therapeutic strategies can be developed by targeting aromatase activity for treating PCOS women, especially those with obesity.
authors.affiliation: First Clinical Medicine College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, China. asadwef@hotmail.com.|State Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Life Science and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China. asadwef@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Divisions of Endocrinology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China. shanmeishen@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Shanmei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: First Clinical Medicine College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, China. xijun1025@163.com.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Life Science and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China. 781224237@qq.com.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Life Science and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China. 505702382@qq.com.
authors.forename: Yanjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China. Caoyunxia6@126.com.
authors.forename: Yunxia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Centre of Reproduction, Department of Obstetric and Gynaecology, Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China. wenjungzcn@163.com.
authors.forename: Wenjun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, 150040, China. xiaokewu@nju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaoke
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Life Science and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China. hwang@nju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Life Science and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China. yilong@nju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Life Science and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China. qian_gao@nju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Life Science and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China. yongwang@nju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001141:Aromatase / Q000032:analysis*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D013739:Testosterone; D001141:Aromatase