Does myo-inositol oxygenase, the only enzyme to catalyze myo-inositol in vivo, play a role in the etiology of polycystic ovarian syndrome?

Abstract

In polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), myo-inositol (MI) supplements have shown many beneficial effects. In this study, therefore, we aimed to investigate the serum level of myo-inositol oxygenase (MIOX), which is the only enzyme catalyzing MI in vivo, in patients with PCOS. Serum MIOX enzyme levels and other laboratory parameters were compared between sixty patients, who were diagnosed with PCOS for the first time, and sixty healthy individuals at similar age and sex. MIOX serum levels were not different between two groups (p = 0.7428). MIOX median and 95% CI were 19.4 and 10.6–39.1 in the control group and 16.4 and 7.6–46.2 in the patient group respectively. Demographic data, biochemical and hematological parameters, hormone parameters were not different except from the lymphocyte count between the two groups. Lymphocyte count was higher in the patient group. Although the ratio of LH/FSH was higher in the patient group, it was not statistically significant. Our results suggest that serum MIOX levels do not change in PCOS. It was, therefore, concluded that MI deficiency observed in PCOS was not related to the level of MIOX enzyme which cleaves MI.

Chinese abstract

在多囊卵巢综合征(PCOS)中, 肌醇(MI)补充显示了许多益处。因此, 在本研究中, 我们的目的是研究多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）患者血清肌醇氧合酶(MIOX)的水平, 肌醇氧合酶是体内唯一能催化肌醇的酶。比较了60名首次确诊为PCOS患者和60名性别和年龄相匹配的健康人群血清MIOX以及其他实验室参数水平, 血清MIOX水平无显著性差异（p = 0.7428）. 对照组MIOX中位数和95%可信区间为19.4和10.6–39.1,而患者组为16.4和7.6–46.2。除两组淋巴细胞计数外, 人口学资料、生化及血液学参数、激素参数均无差异。淋巴细胞计数在患者组中较高。虽然患者组的LH/FSH比值较高, 但无统计学意义。我们的研究结果表明, 血清MIOX水平不改变在多囊卵巢综合征。由此可见, PCOS中所观察到的MI缺乏与MIOX酶的水平没有关系。

Keywords:

• Myo-inositol oxygenase
• polycystic ovarian syndrome
• myo-inositol
• inositol
• d-Chiro-inositol

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all personnel at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mengucek Gazi Training and Research Hospital, for collaborating closely with us, and for diagnosis and treatment of patients.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.