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Cited by 94Ovarian function and disordersReproductive Biology and FertilityGenetic and Kidney Cyst Diseases

Follistatin and activin A serum concentrations in obese and non-obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

Eldar-Geva, T., Spitz, I.M., Groome, N.P., Margalioth, E.J., Homburg, R.·2001·Human Reproduction
DOI 10.1093/humrep/16.12.2552
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Activin promotes ovarian follicular development, inhibits androgen production and increases FSH and insulin secretion. Follistatin, an activin-binding protein, neutralizes activin bioactivity. Therefore, a decrease in the ratio of activin/follistatin might encourage characteristic features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We investigated whether women with PCOS showed disordered follistatin and/or activin serum concentrations. METHODS: The study group included 24 obese and 20 non-obese (body mass index vertical line and <27 kg/m2 respectively) clomiphene-failure PCOS patients. The control group included 16 obese and 46 non-obese patients with normal ovulatory cycles. Blood samples were obtained from the patients on day 3-5 of a progesterone-induced or spontaneous cycle and were assayed for LH, FSH, testosterone, 17-hydroxy-progesterone, androstenedione, follistatin, activin A, fasting glucose and insulin. RESULTS: Follistatin concentrations were comparable between obese and non-obese PCOS patients (mean +/- SE; 1171 +/- 103 and 1045 +/- 159 pg/ml respectively) and significantly higher than their respective controls (628 +/- 61 and 592 +/- 49 pg/ml, P < 0.0001 and P < 0.02 respectively). Activin A concentrations were comparable between the four groups (590 +/- 35, 513 +/- 74, 661 +/- 87 and 595 +/- 43 pg/ml in obese and non-obese PCOS and controls respectively). Stepwise regression analyses for relationships between follistatin or activin A levels and all other variables indicated that follistatin was significantly and independently positively affected by PCOS (P < 0.0001), age (P < 0.02), androstenedione (P < 0.03) and weight (P < 0.05). Activin A was significantly and independently negatively affected by PCOS (P < 0.003) and FSH (P < 0.03), and positively affected by weight (P < 0.009) and androstenedione (P < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Serum follistatin is increased in PCOS patients, regardless of obesity. PCOS is the most significant variable that relates to high follistatin and low activin A serum concentration. A high follistatin/activin ratio could well contribute to the pathophysiology of PCOS.

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  • Women with PCOS are characterized by lower activin and higher inhibin compared with controls.

    “Conversely, women with PCOS are characterized by lower activin (Eldar‐Geva et al., 2001; Norman et al., 2001) and higher inhibin (Babćová et al., 2015; Tsigkou et al., 2008), compared with controls.”

    From Endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome are diametric disorders (2021) · cites this paper as Eldar‐Geva et al., 2001

    The Results report that activin A concentrations were comparable between PCOS patients and controls. The Abstract and Discussion nevertheless report an independent negative association between PCOS and serum activin A in regression analyses. Thus, the source supports lower activin after adjustment, but not a straightforward lower concentration in the group comparison; the separate higher-inhibin claim is attributed to other citations. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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Authors
Eldar-Geva, T., Spitz, I. M., Groome, N. P., Margalioth, E. J., & Homburg, R.
Affiliations
  • Shaare Zedek Medical Center (IL)
  • Oxford Brookes University (GB)
  • Tel Aviv University (IL)
ORCID
Venue
Human Reproduction
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2001-12
Volume
16
Issue
12
Pages
2552-2556
ISSN
  • 0268-1161 (ISSN-L)
  • 1460-2350
DOI
10.1093/humrep/16.12.2552
OpenAlex
W2109538843
Cited by
94
References
41
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 3
FWCI
3.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Human Reproduction (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Ovarian function and disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Reproductive Biology and Fertility
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic and Kidney Cyst Diseases
Keywords
polycystic ovary syndrome, follistatin, activin A, obesity, serum biomarkers, androstenedione, follicle-stimulating hormone, insulin resistance, ovarian follicle development, androgen production
MeSH terms
Adult, Androstenedione, Blood Glucose, Female, Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Humans, Insulin, Luteinizing Hormone, Obesity, Ovulation, Ovulation Induction, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Progesterone, Regression Analysis, Testosterone, Body Mass Index, 17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone, Inhibin-beta Subunits, Activins, Follistatin

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