Serum and follicular fluid irisin levels in women with polycystic ovaries undergoing ovarian stimulation: correlation with insulin resistance and lipoprotein lipid profiles

Abstract

Irisin, a novel exercise-induced myokine, has been implicated in different aspects of human metabolism and could be connected to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This study aimed to investigate serum and follicular fluid (FF) irisin levels in PCOS and normal women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation and correlate them to the lipid and lipoprotein levels as well as with other metabolic parameters. Serum and FF irisin, together with serum lipid and lipoprotein levels were assessed in 70 women with diagnosed PCOS and 70 non-PCOS controls, under in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. Regardless of BMI, PCOS women had a significantly increased number of oocytes retrieved, fertilized oocytes and transferred embryos, although the number of women achieving pregnancies did not differ between groups. No correlation between FF irisin levels and pregnancy could be established. Serum and FF irisin levels were significantly higher in PCOS and overweight women and were positively associated with BMI and dyslipidemia. FF irisin levels correlated positively to and were lower than serum irisin levels. Further research would be helpful to analyze irisin’s role in female reproduction, if any, as well as in human metabolism and the pathophysiology of PCOS.

Chinese abstract

irisin是一种新型运动诱导的肌动蛋白, 与人体代谢的不同方面有关, 可能与多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）有关。本研究旨在探讨PCOS患者和正常妇女在控制性促排卵过程中的血清和卵泡液irisin水平, 并将它们与脂质和脂蛋白水平以及与其他代谢参数相关。在体外受精（IVF）治疗中, 对70名诊断为PCOS的妇女和70名非PCOS患者进行了血清和卵泡irisin水平的测定, 并对血脂和脂蛋白水平进行了评估。排除BMI的因素, PCOS女性的获卵数、受精卵数和移植胚胎数均显著增加, 两组间妊娠率无显著统计学差异。卵泡液中irisin水平与妊娠无相关性。PCOS和超重妇女血清和卵泡液中irisin水平显著升高, 与BMI和血脂异常呈正相关。卵泡液中irisin水平与血清虹膜素水平呈正相关, 且低于血清irisin水平。仍需要进一步研究来分析虹膜蛋白在女性生殖中以及在人类代谢和PCOS的病理生理学中的作用。

Keywords:

• Irisin
• dyslipidemia
• polycystic ovary syndrome
• body mass index
• follicular fluid
• in vitro fertilization

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr. Krommidas George for statistical advice.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.