Mechanism of varied responsiveness to ACTH in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the potential mechanism of adrenal androgen excess in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), ACTH stimulation test was conducted and the polymorphisms in the promoter region of CYP21 A2 gene were screened to verify the variations related to the responsiveness to ACTH stimulation. Methods 30 healthy women and 101 PCOS patients, matched for age, were recruited from Ruijin hospital. Blood biochemical examinations were taken and sex hormone profiles obtained at baseline. 17 hydroxyprogesterone( 17OHP)was measured at 0 and 60 min in an ACTH stimulation test. The -710 bp -1 bp of the promoter region of CYP21A2 was sequenced in 87 PCOS patients and 30 control subjects. Results According to the post-stimulation 17 OHP levels obtained from 30 healthy women,PCOS patients were allocated into one group with high responsiveness to ACTH ( HR-PCOS, n = 21) and the other with normal responsiveness to ACTH ( NR-PCOS, n = 80). Compared with NR-PCOS subjects, HR-PCOS patients had higher testosterone( P<0.05), basal and post-stimulation 17OHP (both P<0.01)and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels (P<0.05 or P<0.01) .whereas serum cortisol and androstenedione levels were not significantly different before and after ACTH stimulation test. The genotypes of locus -535 were well correlated with post-stimulation 17OHP levels (r = 0. 20,P = 0. 03) in PCOS patients and the control subjects. The genotype T/T or allele T was significantly more frequent in subjects with a higher fertile of post-stimulation 17OHP (P<0.05 or P<0. 01). The odds ratio(OR)for higher responsiveness to ACTH in women with allele T at -535 was 3. 69 (95% CI 1. 69-8. 06,P = 0. 000 7). Conclusions The PCOS patients with higher responsiveness to ACTH are characterized by severe hyperandrogenemia and adrenal androgenexcess,suggesting that adrenal androgen excess in some PCOS patients may be due to higher responsiveness to ACTH. The polymorphism of -535C>T in the promoter region of CYP21 A2 may play a role in regulating 21 hydroxylase gene expression and further influencing 17OHP responsiveness to ACTH.