Circulating follistatin concentrations are higher and activin concentrations are lower in polycystic ovarian syndrome
Abstract
Familial polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) has been proposed to be linked to a site near the follistatin gene. We studied the concentrations of circulating follistatin, activin A and inhibin B in well-characterized subjects with PCOS (n = 108) and controls without PCOS (n = 20). Mean (+/- SEM) concentrations of follistatin were higher (P < 0.05) in PCOS (0.27 +/- 0.03 ng/ml) than controls (0.15 +/- 0.02 ng/ml) and activin A were lower (P < 0.05) in PCOS (0.20 +/- 0.01ng/ml) than controls (0.24 +/- 0.02 ng/ml). Inhibin B concentrations were not different between the two groups: PCOS (0.06 +/- 0.01ng/ml), and controls (0.06 +/- 0.01ng/ml). It is proposed that higher concentrations of follistatin with lower concentrations of activin A may relate to follicular development not proceeding beyond 8-10 mm and may be partly responsible for the lack of pre-ovular follicle development in 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 Norman et al., 2001
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Stener-Victorin, E., Teede, H., Norman, R. J., Legro, R., Goodarzi, M. O., Dokras, A., Laven, J., Hoeger, K., & Piltonen, T. T. (2024) · Nature Reviews Disease Primers · doi:10.1038/s41572-024-00511-3 · Cited by 495 · see citing works
Self-citationEldar-Geva, T., Spitz, I. M., Groome, N. P., Margalioth, E. J., & Homburg, R. (2001) · Human Reproduction · doi:10.1093/humrep/16.12.2552 · Cited by 94 · see citing works
Self-citationEndometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome are diametric disorders
Dinsdale, N. L., & Crespi, B. J. (2021) · Evolutionary Applications · doi:10.1111/eva.13244 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
“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.”
BackgroundHansen, J., Rinnov, A., Krogh‐Madsen, R., Fischer, C. P., Andreasen, A. S., Berg, R. M. G., Møller, K., Pedersen, B. K., & Plomgaard, P. (2013) · Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews · doi:10.1002/dmrr.2415 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Ovarian and extra-ovarian mediators in the development of polycystic ovary syndrome
Puttabyatappa, M., & Padmanabhan, V. (2018) · Journal of Molecular Endocrinology · doi:10.1530/jme-18-0079 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
- Authors
- Norman, R. J., Milner, C. R., Groome, N. P., & Robertson, D. M.
- Affiliations
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital (AU)
- Venue
- Human Reproduction
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2001-04
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 668-672
- ISSN
- 0268-1161 (ISSN-L)
- 1460-2350
- OpenAlex
- W2164063741
- Cited by
- 91
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 5.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Human Reproduction (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion)
- 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, inhibin B, folliculogenesis, preovulatory follicles
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Blood Glucose, Fasting, Female, Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Glycoproteins, Humans, Inhibins, Insulin, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Reference Values, Testosterone, Case-Control Studies, Inhibin-beta Subunits, Activins, Prostatic Secretory Proteins, Follistatin
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