Androgen receptor gene CAG repeat length in women with metabolic syndrome

Abstract

Objective. The length of the androgen receptor gene CAG repeat [AR (CAG)_n] modulates the activity of the androgen receptor (AR), and this polymorphism has been shown to modulate body fat mass and serum concentrations of insulin in men. We hypothesized that shorter AR (CAG)_n is associated with metabolic syndrome (MBS) or its components in women.

Design, patients and measurements. In a cross-sectional controlled study we studied 52 Finnish women aged 34–55 years with MBS and 69 age-matched controls. All participants were recruited from a sample of women drawn from the Finnish population register. We compared the mean AR (CAG)_n in the two groups. Furthermore, we correlated the AR (CAG)_n with serum testosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and several parameters of glucose and lipid metabolism in each group and in all 121 women.

Results. There was no difference in the biallelic mean AR (CAG)_n between the MBS and the control group (21.6±0.2 vs. 21.8±0.2, not significant). The AR (CAG)_n did not correlate significantly with any of the clinical or biochemical parameters of glucose or fat metabolism. However, it correlated negatively with serum testosterone (−0.195, p = 0.04) and androstenedione concentrations (−0.205, p = 0.03) in all studied women.

Conclusions. The AR (CAG)_n is not a major determinant of MBS in women but it contributes to ovarian androgen production.

Keywords:

• Androgen receptor
• polyglutamine repeat
• CAG repeat
• ovary
• testosterone