Elevated Circulating Levels of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Open accessAbstract
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have chronic low level inflammation which can increase the risk of atherogenesis. We evaluated the status of circulating macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a proinflammatory cytokine involved in atherogenesis, in women with PCOS and weight-matched controls. Two-way analysis of variance models adjusted for age were fit to evaluate the effect of PCOS status (PCOS vs. controls) and weight-class (obese vs. lean) on MIF and other parameters. MIF levels were significantly (p<0.001) higher in women with PCOS (lean: 37.7+/-10.6 ng/ml; obese: 54.6+/-15.2 ng/ml) compared to controls (lean: 4.8+/-0.6 ng/ml; obese: 17.5+/-8.0 ng/ml) regardless of weight-class. CRP levels were significantly (p<0.001) higher in obese subjects (PCOS: 6.2+/-1.9 mg/l; controls: 6.7+/-1.4 mg/l) compared to lean subjects (PCOS: 0.9+/-0.4 mg/l; controls: 0.2+/-01 mg/l) after controlling for PCOS status. MIF levels directly correlated with % truncal fat (r=0.41, p<0.05), and plasma levels of CRP (r=0.42, p=0.05), LH (r=0.45, p=0.04), testosterone (r=0.53, p<0.008), androstendione (r=0.58, p<0.005). IS(OGTT) inversely correlated with plasma levels of MIF (r=-0.51, p<0.02) and CRP (r=-0.73, p<0.001). Circulating MIF is elevated in PCOS independent of obesity, but both PCOS and obesity contribute to a proatherogenic state. In PCOS, abdominal adiposity and hyperandrogenism may exacerbate the risk of atherosclerosis.
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Chronic inflammation develops with increased levels of TNF-α, MCP-1, CRP, IL-1, IL-6, and other pro-inflammatory cytokines, which have been found elevated in PCOS.
“Chronic inflammation also develops with increased levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and other pro-inflammatory cytokines, which have been found elevated in PCOS.”
From The Role of Glp-1 Receptor Agonists in Insulin Resistance with Concomitant Obesity Treatment in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (2022) · cites this paper as [46]
Hyperandrogenism can increase inflammation through activation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) inflammation pathway.
“Additionally, hyperandrogenism can increase inflammation through activation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) inflammation pathway [45,46].”
From The Role of Glp-1 Receptor Agonists in Insulin Resistance with Concomitant Obesity Treatment in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (2022) · cites this paper as [46]
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- Authors
- González, F., Rote, N. S., Minium, J., Weaver, A. L., & Kirwan, J. P.
- Affiliations
- Mayo Clinic (US)
- Case Western Reserve University (US)
- Cleveland Clinic (US)
- Corresponding author
- González, Frank
- Venue
- Cytokine
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2010-09
- Volume
- 51
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 240-244
- ISSN
- 1043-4666 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2914837
- OpenAlex
- W2060251234
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 5.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Cytokine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD-048535, R03HD048535)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Ovarian function and disorders
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
- Keywords
- polycystic ovary syndrome, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, low-grade inflammation, obesity, abdominal fat, C-reactive protein, atherogenesis, hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, androstenedione, truncal fat
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Blood Pressure, Body Composition, C-Reactive Protein, Fasting, Female, Hormones, Humans, Insulin Resistance, Lipids, Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Intramolecular Oxidoreductases
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