title: Serum visfatin, vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix metalloproteinase-9 in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate serum concentrations of visfatin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to investigate their possible role as early endothelial markers in PCOS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two women with PCOS and 42 controls, matched for age and weight, were included in the study. Serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, total testosterone (tT), Δ4-androstenedione (Δ4A), dehydroepinadrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S), 17-OH-progesterone, sex hormone-binding protein (SHBG), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), visfatin, VEGF and MMP-9 were measured in all women; free androgen index (FAI) was calculated as well. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to examine if visfatin, tT or FAI can predict the clinical status (PCOS or control).
  
  
  RESULTS
  LH, Δ4A, tT and FAI concentrations were higher in PCOS than in controls (p = 0.002, 0.029, 0.0005 and 0.014, respectively). Visfatin, VEGF and MMP-9 concentrations were higher in women with PCOS than controls (p = 0.019, 0.001 and 0.002, respectively). In ROC analysis, area under the curve (AUC) in the prediction of clinical status was 0.641 for visfatin (p = 0.026), 0.731 for tT (p = 0.001) and 0.666 for FAI (p = 0.010), with no difference among them (p = 0.117).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Visfatin may induce the expression of pro-angiogenic factors, such as VEGF and MMP-9, in women with PCOS, inplying gradually development of endothelial dysfunction. Further studies are required to clarify these findings.
authors.affiliation: a First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece.
authors.forename: Kalliopi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dambala
authors.affiliation: a First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vavilis
authors.affiliation: a First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bili
authors.affiliation: a First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Goulis
authors.affiliation: a First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece.
authors.forename: Basil C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Tarlatzis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood*; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000097:blood*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D013739:Testosterone; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9
keywords: Endothelial dysfuction; MMP-9; VEGF; polycystic ovary syndrome; visfatin