Study of serum PTX3 and vaspin levels in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract

Objective To determine the levels of serum pentraxin 3(PTX3)and visceral adipose tissue-derived serine protease inhibitor(vaspin)in newly-diagnosed polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients, and investigate the relationship between serum level of PTX3, vaspin and different phenotypes of PCOS. Methods Seventy five patients with newly-diagnosed PCOS and 70 age and body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy controls who visited the Department of Endocrinology and Reproduction Centre of the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University were enrolled in the study. According to their BMI, the subjects were divided into non-obese PCOS group (BMI<23 kg/m2, n=33), overweight or obese PCOS group (BMI≥23kg/m2, n=42), non-obese control group(BMI<23 kg/m2, n=34) and overweight or obese control group(BMI≥23 kg/m2, n=36). Fasting plasma glucose(FPG), triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol(TC), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-C), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C), fasting plasma insulin(FINS), etradiol(E2), dehydroepiandrosterone(DHEAS), follicle stimulating hormone(FSH), luteinizing hormone(LH), progesterone, prolactin(PRL) and total testosterone were measured. Serum PTX3 and vaspin levels were detected with ELISA. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR) was used to estimate insulin resistance and its correlations with PTX3 and vaspin level were analyzed. Results Compared with non-obese control group, the level of PTX3 was reduced, while the level of vaspin was elevated in non-obese PCOS group(F=3.446, 6.653, all P<0.05). The level of vaspin was elevated in overweight or obese PCOS group(F=4.125, P<0.05). Compared with non-obese PCOS group, the level of vaspin was elevated in overweight or obese PCOS group(F=6.238, P<0.05). Compared with overweight or obese control group, the level of serum PTX3 was reduced(F=5.273, P<0.01), and the level of vaspin was elevated(F=7.124, P<0.05)in overweight or obse PCOS group. Correlation analysis showed that the level of PTX3 was negatively correlated with FPG, TG, FINS, HOMA-IR, DHEAS and total testosterone(r=-0.172, -0.190, -0.294, -0.274, -0.236, -0.243, all P<0.05), and positively correlated with age(r=0.240, P<0.05). The level of vaspin was positively correlated with BMI, HOMA-IR and TC(r=0.331, 0.418, 0.172, all P<0.05). Conclusion PCOS patients have a low level of PTX3 but high level of vaspin, which might be related to hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance. Key words: Polycystic ovary syndrome; Obesity; PTX3; Vaspin