Plasmatic free light chains in polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), as systemic disease, is accompanied by different indexes of inflammation. Free light chains of immunoglobulins (FLCs), produced by plasmacells, are released in slight excess for the immune requests, with still poorly defined physiological role but surely they represent a marker of inflammation. In order to evaluate their levels and correlate them with hyperandrogenism, we have studied a group of PCOS patients, age range 18–37 yrs, mean ± SEM body mass index (BMI) 24.1 ± 0.9 kg/m²), compared with age- and BMI-matched controls, with assay of k and λ FLCs, by turbidimetric method, and their ratio in blood plasma. PCOs exhibited higher levels vs. controls: (mean ± SEM λ: 10.0 ± 0.85 mg/L vs. 8.41 ± 0.45 mg/L; k: 12.45 ± 0.72 mg/L vs. 6.41 ± 0.34 mg/L; k/λ: 1.31 ± 0.07 vs. 0.78 ± 0.04). A significant direct correlation was observed between λ-FLCs and testosterone levels, no correlation was indeed found with HOMA-IR index. These data confirm high levels of FLCs in PCOS, suggesting systemic inflammatory state and a possible role in the pathophysiology of such complex syndrome.

摘要：

多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）是一种全身性疾病, 伴有不同的炎症指标。由浆细胞产生的免疫球蛋白（FLCs）游离轻链, 在免疫应答中轻微过量地释放, 其生理作用仍不明确, 但肯定是炎症的标志。为了评估它们的水平以及它们与高雄激素血症的相关性, 我们对一组PCOS患者进行了研究, 这些患者的年龄范围在18-37岁, 体重指数（BMI）平均值±标准误为24.1 ± 0.9kg/m2, 与年龄和BMI匹配的对照组比较, 用比浊法测定K和K FLCs, 并测量它们在血浆中的比例。与对照组相比, 多囊卵巢综合征患者的水平更高：（平均值±标准误K:10.0 ± 0.85mg/L vs.8.41 ± 0.45mg/L；K:12.45 ± 0.72mg/L vs.6.41 ± 0.34mg/L；K/K:1.31 ± 0.07 vs.0.78 ± 0.04）。K-FLCs与睾酮水平呈显著正相关, 与HOMA-IR指数无明显相关性。这些数据证实了多囊卵巢综合征患者中的FLCs水平高, 提示全身炎症状态以及可能在这种复杂综合征的病理生理学中发挥作用。

The Chinese abstracts are translated by Prof. Dr. Xiangyan Ruan and her team: Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China.

Keywords:

• Hyperandrogenism
• PCOS
• inflammation
• insulin resistance

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.