Accumulation of abdominal fat in relation to selected proinflammatory cytokines concentrations in non-obese Wroclaw inhabitants.

INTRODUCTION: Metabolically obese normal weight (MONW) subjects, despite their normal BMI, present metabolic disturbances characteristic of abdominal obesity. One of the reasons might be subclinical inflammation caused by the fat tissue excess. The aim of this study was to assess the association between the accumulation of fat (especially abdominal) and the concentration of selected proinflammatory cytokines - interleukins (IL-6, IL-18) and C-reactive protein (CRP). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 342 subjects (218 women, 124 men; age 20-40 years, BMI < 27 kg/m2) recruited from a community centre in Wroclaw. The group was divided based on the homeostasis assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA) value: 90 MONW subjects with HOMA > 1.69 and 252 subjects as control group. Anthropometric parameters, serum IL-6, IL-18, CRP, glucose, insulin concentrations and insulin sensitivity/resistance indexes were evaluated. RESULTS: CRP levels were significantly higher (3.26 vs. 1.97, p = 0.03) in MONW women than in the control group. Serum IL-6, IL-18 levels in males and females did not differ in both groups. IL-6 showed a significant correlation with the abdominal to gynoidal fat tissue deposit ratio in women. There were correlations between the CRP and BMI, WHR, waist circumference, total fat, abdominal fat deposit, and abdominal to gynoidal fat deposit ratio in both sexes. In women, positive correlations between CRP and HOMA, FIRI and negative with QUICKI index were present. CONCLUSIONS: Increased accumulation of abdominal adipose tissue in non-obese, young and healthy subjects is related to increased CRP levels.

Selected neurologic disorders related to polycystic ovary syndrome.

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurologic disorders. The epileptic seizures as well as antiepileptic drugs may disturb the reproductive system function. Polycystic ovary syndrome occurs more commonly in women with epilepsy either treated or not with valproic acid. This article discusses the current knowledge about the relationships between epilepsy and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Psychiatric disorders related to polycystic ovary syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. The psychiatric disorders accompanying the clinical symptoms and hormonal abnormalities are important, but underestimated, aspects in PCOS. Obesity, hirsutism, acne, menstrual disturbances and infertility play important roles in lowering the quality of life in women with PCOS. Depression and anxiety are more often observed in patients with PCOS than in healthy women. Some authors consider that there is a relationship between valproic acid treatment of bipolar disease and PCOS. There have been reports that in women with PCOS anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and other unspecified eating disorders are found more often than in the general population.

Pro12Ala PPAR γ2 gene polymorphism in PCOS women: the role of compounds regulating satiety.

UNLABELLED: Five to ten percent of women of reproductive age suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Leptin, NPY, galanin, cholecystokinin (CCK) are involved in the regulation of eating behavior. PPARγ are receptors that are probably involved in hyperandrogenism. This study was designed to assess associations between the Pro12Ala PPARγ2 gene polymorphism and satiety factors in PCOS. Fifty-four PCOS women and 51 healthy women were studied. Leptin, NPY, galanin, CCK levels, and genetic studies to detect Pro12Ala PPARγ2 gene polymorphism were assessed. The leptin levels in the PCOS women carrying Pro12Ala genotype were higher than in those with Pro12Pro and Ala12Ala. The PCOS women had higher leptin and NPY levels and lower galanin levels. Obese PCOS patients had lower CCK levels. CONCLUSIONS: In the PCOS women, a single Ala allele may have a protective role as far as hyperleptinemia is concerned. The PCOS women may reveal a disrupted central leptin/NPY feedback loop with some shifts in food intake.

Pro12Ala PPAR gamma2 gene polymorphism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: The pathogenesis of PCOS has not been definitively determined and includes a number of genes linked with steroidogenesis, regulation of gonadotropin secretion, actions of insulin, obesity as well as chronic inflammatory processes. Some authors indicate that PPARgamma play a role in insulin sensitivity and are probably involved in hyperandrogenism in PCOS. The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of the Pro12Ala and Pro115Gln PPARgamma2 gene polymorphisms in women with PCOS. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 54 PCOS women and 51 healthy women were recruited. Genetic studies to detect Pro12Ala and Pro115Gln PPARgamma2 gene polymorphism were performed. RESULTS: In the whole studied group the Pro115Gln polymorphism of the PPARgamma2 gene was not found. The frequency of the Pro12Ala polymorphism was estimated at 26.47% in the controls and at 23.15% in the PCOS patients. Women from the control and PCOS groups with BMI > or = 30 had statistically higher occurrence of the Ala allele than women with BMI <30 (38.80% versus 12.50% and 38.23% versus 18.75%). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of the Pro12Ala polymorphism observed in the sample of women from the Lower Silesian population was significantly higher than in the majority of European populations.

Hormonal abnormalities in first-degree relatives of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

INTRODUCTION: A body of evidence points to a familial aggregation of hormonal abnormalities in first-degree relatives of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aim of this study was to determine whether siblings of women with PCOS had evidence of hormonal abnormalities typical of PCOS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighty-six siblings of women with PCOS (44 sisters, 42 brothers) were recruited. Two control groups consisted of 70 healthy women and 30 healthy men. Anthropometric, hormonal (testosterone, androstenedione, DHEA-S, LH, FSH) parameters and SHBG were assessed in all subjects. RESULTS: Mean testosterone and DHEA-S levels were higher in sisters of women with PCOS than in the control women. In eight of the 44 (18.2%) sisters, a diagnosis of PCOS was made. Mean testosterone and androstenedione levels, and free androgen index (FAI) were significantly higher in sisters with PCOS compared to the sisters without PCOS. Brothers of women with PCOS had higher DHEA-S level than the control men. Eleven of the 42 (26.2%) brothers had alopecia occurring before the age of 30. Prematurely balding brothers did not differ from the non-balding brothers in hormonal parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Siblings of women with PCOS are predisposed to hormonal abnormalities typical of PCOS. The symptom of premature balding under the age of 30 in brothers of women with PCOS should not be considered as a male PCOS equivalent.

The role of chronic inflammation and Leu55Met PON1 polymorphism in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder with a complex pathogenesis in which hormonal disturbances, metabolic disorders and chronic inflammation have been considered. Relationships among the paraoxonase 1 (PON1) gene, hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance in women with PCOS have been reported. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate patients with PCOS for the existence of chronic inflammation and to assess the relationship between PON1 polymorphism and hormonal, metabolic and inflammatory parameters in these women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred thirty women with PCOS and 70 healthy women were studied. Anthropometric, hormonal (total testosterone, androstenedione, DHEA-S, LH, FSH), metabolic (fasting glucose and insulin, oral glucose tolerance test, insulin sensitivity and resistance indices, lipids) and inflammatory parameters (hsCRP, fibrinogen, WBC) were assessed and analysis of PON1 Leu55Met polymorphism was carried out in all subjects. RESULTS: WBC, fibrinogen and hsCRP levels did not differ significantly between the PCOS and control groups. The genotype frequencies of the Leu55Met PON1 polymorphism were similar in both groups. There were no relationships between PON1 genotypes and metabolic parameters. CONCLUSIONS: As chronic low-grade inflammation was not observed in the women with PCOS, there is no direct link between inflammation and PCOS markers per se. None of the variants of the Leu55Met PON1 polymorphism was associated with more frequent occurrence of PCOS or metabolic disorders, including insulin resistance.

Lack of relationship between 174G_C promoter polymorphism of the IL-6 gene and indices of metabolic syndrome in non-obese healthy subjects.

INTRODUCTION: Homozygosity for interleukin-6 (IL-6) 174G_C promoter polymorphism has recently been associated with indices of metabolic syndrome; however, this problem has not been investigated in non-obese subjects. The aim of this study was to explore the relation between abdominal fat distribution and some inflammatory risk factors of atheromatosis and IL-6 174G_C gene polymorphism in non-obese healthy subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Relationships were investigated between anthropometric variables, i.e. weight, height, BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), body fat distribution (DXA), serum CRP and IL-6, insulin sensitivity/resistance indices, and IL-6 174G_C gene polymorphism, in healthy non-obese Polish subjects: 232 women (age 31.4 +/- 5.5 years) and 199 men (age 30.3 +/- 6.0 years). RESULTS: The genetic study revealed that the CC genotype was observed in 15.56% of subjects, the CG genotype in 52.74%, and the GG genotype in 31.7%. IL-6 and CRP concentration did not differ among the genotypes. There were also no differences regarding BMI and WHR. The only differences among genotypes, observed only in men, were those concerning total fat (CC had higher fat content than CG and GG); the difference being statistically significant between CC and GG (p < 0.05), and gynoidal fat deposit (CC had higher gynoidal fat deposit than CG and GG); the difference being statistically significant between CC and GG (p < 0.025) and between CC and CG (p < 0.05). Biochemical parameters and insulin sensitivity did not differ among the genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: These data show that IL-6 174G_C polymorphism is not associated with features describing metabolic syndrome in nonobese healthy subjects.

The vitamin D receptor gene BsmI polymorphism is not associated with anthropometric and biochemical parameters describing metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women.

AIM: Vitamin D could have a direct effect on adipocyte differentiation and metabolism and might be involved in glucose regulation of insulin secretion. In recent years several polymorphisms in the gene encoding the vitamin D receptor (VDR), which are potent to alter the activity of VDR protein, have been described. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of the VDR BsmI polymorphism and its association with anthropometric and biochemical features of metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 351 randomly selected healthy postmenopausal women, with mean age of 55.43 +/- 2.75 years and mean body mass index (BMI) of 27.5 +/- 4.78 kg/m2, to evaluate the frequency of BsmI polymorphism (by restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction) in the VDR gene and to find out whether there is an association between this polymorphism and BMI, total fat volume and visceral fat (as determined by total body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), blood pressure, lipid profile (total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides) glucose and fasting insulin in the whole group, as well as subgroups of obese and non-obese women. RESULTS: The prevalence of BsmI genotypes in the study group was 51.0% Bb, 37.3% bb and 11.7% BB. Genotype distribution did not differ from that expected under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium conditions (chi2 = 2.95, p = 0.22). Apart from LDL-C levels (F = 3.46, p = 0.032), there were no significant differences in anthropometric or metabolic parameters between genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: The BsmI polymorphism in the VDR gene does not seem to predispose to obesity and insulin resistance, but the BB genotype is connected with an unfavorable lipid profile.

The correlations between endogenous dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and some atherosclerosis risk factors in premenopausal women.

BACKGROUND: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is postulated to have antiatherogenic properties, but the possible mechanism of this action is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of endogenous DHEA-S on the levels of some factors playing significant roles in atherogenesis. MATERIAL/METHODS: In a group of 40 premenopausal women, relationships between endogenous DHEA-S and serum lipids and the apolipoproteins A1 (apoA1) and B (apoB), serum lipid peroxide (LPO), and total antioxidant system (TAS) concentrations as markers of the serum antioxidant-prooxidant balance were measured as well as clinical and biochemical parameters playing roles in atheromatosis such as the type of obesity and the serum glucose, insulin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and homocysteine (HCY) concentrations. RESULTS: Statistical analysis revealed significant correlation (p<0.05) between serum DHEA-S level and the serum concentrations of: HDL(2)-C (r=0.53), HDL(2)-C/HDL(3)-C (r=0.58), TG (r=0.35), IGF-1 (r=0.39), and HCY (r=-0.44). There was no statistically significant correlation between DHEA-S level and other biochemical and clinical parameters (age, BMI, WHR) found in this study. CONCLUSIONS: Despite unfavorable correlation between DHEA-S and TG concentration, the results of this study indicate a potential antiatherogenic action of DHEA which may occur through various mechanisms: by increasing HDL(2)-C and the HDL(2)-C/HDL(3)-C ratio, which has an atheroprotective effect, by elevating the serum IGF-1 concentration, or by decreasing the HCY level. These preliminary results, however, require further investigation.