Follistatin and activins in polycystic ovary syndrome: relationship to metabolic and hormonal markers.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is common and has reproductive and metabolic manifestations. Activin A and follistatin levels remain controversial and activin B levels are unstudied in PCOS. The aim of this study was to evaluate activin A, activin B and follistatin levels and to examine their associations with metabolic status in overweight and obese women with and without PCOS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Cross-sectional study assessing overweight and obese, premenopausal women with PCOS (n=51, n=26 National Institutes of Health (NIH) and n=25 non-NIH) and without PCOS (n=25 controls). Outcomes included activin A, activin B, follistatin and activin A/follistatin ratio and the association of the activins and follistatin with metabolic variables.

RESULTS:

Activin A, activin B and activin A/follistatin ratio were not significantly different and follistatin was elevated for PCOS versus controls (P=0.01) independent of age or BMI. Follistatin levels were significantly different across the PCOS phenotypes (p=0.05), however this was a non-significant trend (after correction for age and BMI) for women with NIH PCOS or non-NIH PCOS to have elevated levels in comparison to controls. Activin A was most strongly predicted by low density lipoprotein/high density lipoprotein (r(2)=0.192, p<0.001), follistatin by triglycerides and highly sensitive C-reactive protein (r(2)=0.340, p<0.001) and the activin A/follistatin ratio by insulin area under the curve and mean arterial pressure (r(2)=0.289, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Follistatin is elevated and activins A and B are not different between PCOS and controls. Follistatin and activin A are related to metabolic parameters in women with and without PCOS. Follistatin may potentially act as a marker of or be involved in the pathophysiology of both reproductive and metabolic features of PCOS.

• Authors: Helena Teede, Sze Ng, Mark Hedger, Lisa Moran
• Journal: Metabolism: clinical and experimental (Metabolism) Vol. 62 Issue 10 Pg. 1394-400 (Oct 2013) ISSN: 1532-8600 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 23768911 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Biomarkers
• Follistatin
• Hormones
• Insulin
• Lipoproteins, HDL
• Lipoproteins, LDL
• Triglycerides
• activin A
• activin B
• Activins
• C-Reactive Protein

Topics

• Activins (metabolism)
• Adult
• Arterial Pressure (physiology)
• Biomarkers (metabolism)
• C-Reactive Protein (metabolism)
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Female
• Follistatin (metabolism)
• Hormones (metabolism)
• Humans
• Insulin (metabolism)
• Lipoproteins, HDL (metabolism)
• Lipoproteins, LDL (metabolism)
• Obesity (metabolism)
• Overweight (metabolism)
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (metabolism)
• Premenopause (metabolism)
• Triglycerides (metabolism)