Cited by 101Ovarian function and disordersBirth, Development, and HealthReproductive Biology and Fertility

Mechanisms of intergenerational transmission of polycystic ovary syndrome

Open access
Dumesic, Daniel A, Hoyos, Luis R, Chazenbalk, Gregorio D, Naik, Rajanigandha, Padmanabhan, Vasantha, Abbott, David H·2020·Reproduction

Abstract

Developmental origins of adult disease (DoHAD) refers to critical gestational ages during human fetal development and beyond when the endocrine metabolic status of the mother can permanently program the physiology and/or morphology of the fetus, modifying its susceptibility to disease after birth. The aim of this review is to address how DoHAD plays an important role in the phenotypic expression of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common endocrinopathy of women characterized by hyperandrogenism, oligo-anovulation and polycystic ovarian morphology. Clinical studies of PCOS women are integrated with findings from relevant animal models to show how intergenerational transmission of these central components of PCOS are programmed through an altered maternal endocrine–metabolic environment that adversely affects the female fetus and long-term offspring health. Prenatal testosterone treatment in monkeys and sheep have been particularly crucial in our understanding of developmental programming of PCOS because organ system differentiation in these species, as in humans, occurs during fetal life. These animal models, along with altricial rodents, produce permanent PCOS-like phenotypes variably characterized by LH hypersecretion from reduced steroid-negative feedback, hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, increased adiposity, impaired glucose-insulin homeostasis and other metabolic abnormalities. The review concludes that DoHAD underlies the phenotypic expression of PCOS through an altered maternal endocrine–metabolic environment that can induce epigenetic modifications of fetal genetic susceptibility to PCOS after birth. It calls for improved maternal endocrine–metabolic health of PCOS women to lower their risks of pregnancy-related complications and to potentially reduce intergenerational susceptibility to PCOS and its metabolic derangements in offspring.

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  • Epigenetic reprogramming of germ-line cells can lead to transgenerational inheritance resulting in phenotypic variation or pathology in the absence of continued direct exposure.

    “In addition, epigenetic reprogramming of germ-line cells can lead to transgenerational inheritance resulting in phenotypic variation or pathology in the absence of continued direct exposure [98].”

    From Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: An Evolutionary Adaptation to Lifestyle and the Environment (2022) · cites this paper as [98]

    The Endocrine antecedents of PCOS section says epigenomic remodeling can be inherited across generations through nongenetic mechanisms, and the Conclusion suggests fetal epigenetic changes may contribute to PCOS. Neither passage identifies germ-line cell reprogramming as the mechanism or establishes inheritance in the absence of continued direct exposure. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • These factors include hormones, vitamins, diet-derived metabolites and environmental chemicals.

    “These include hormones, vitamins, diet-derived metabolites and environmental chemicals [48,98,103,104].”

    From Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: An Evolutionary Adaptation to Lifestyle and the Environment (2022) · cites this paper as [98]

    The Introduction and Placental aromatization sections discuss maternal nutrition and hormones as influences on fetal development. The passages do not identify vitamins, diet-derived metabolites or environmental chemicals as factors, so the full list is not supported. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Compelling evidence shows that a wide range of maternal, nutritional and environmental factors can affect fetal development during critical periods of programming.

    “Compelling evidence shows that a wide range of maternal, nutritional and environmental factors can effect fetal development during these critical periods of programming [44,98,99,101,102].”
  • Multiple lines of evidence suggest that inherited PCOS gene variants are developmentally programmed in a way that primes them for activation by nutritional and environmental factors in postnatal life.

    “In keeping with this model, multiple lines of evidence suggest that inherited PCOS gene variants are developmentally programmed in a way that primes them for activation by nutritional and environmental factors in postnatal life [41,42,98].”

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Authors
Dumesic, D. A., Hoyos, L. R., Chazenbalk, G. D., Naik, R., Padmanabhan, V., & Abbott, D. H.
Affiliations
  • University of California, Los Angeles (US)
  • University of Michigan (US)
  • University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
Corresponding author
Dumesic, Daniel A
Venue
Reproduction
Published
2020-01-01
Volume
159
Issue
1
Pages
R1-R13
ISSN
  • 1470-1626 (ISSN-L)
  • 1741-7899
OpenAlex
W2965641758
Cited by
101
References
138
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 13
FWCI
1.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Reproduction (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Virginia (P50HD028934)
  • National Institutes of Health (P51 ODO11092, P51OD011092, UL1TR001881)
  • Oregon National Primate Research Center (P51 ODO11092)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (P30DK020572)
  • National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (UCLA CTSI Grant Number UL1TR001881)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (P50HD071836, P01HD044232, P50HD028934)
  • Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of California, Los Angeles (UL1 TR001881)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Ovarian function and disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Birth, Development, and Health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Reproductive Biology and Fertility
Keywords
polycystic ovary syndrome, intergenerational transmission, developmental origins of adult disease, fetal programming, hyperandrogenism, epigenetic modifications, maternal health, pregnancy complications, ovulatory dysfunction, insulin resistance
MeSH terms
Female, Humans, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Intergenerational Relations, Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical

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