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Torstensson S, Ascani A, Risal S, Lu H, Zhao A, Espinosa A, Lindgren E, Johansson MH, Eriksson G, Barakat M, Karlsson MCI, Svensson C, Benrick A, Stener-Victorin E. Androgens Modulate the Immune Profile in a Mouse Model of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2401772. [PMID: 38767114 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202401772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with a low-grade inflammation, but it is unknown how hyperandrogenism, the hallmark of PCOS, affects the immune system. Using a PCOS-like mouse model, it is demonstrated that hyperandrogenism affects immune cell populations in reproductive, metabolic, and immunological tissues differently in a site-specific manner. Co-treatment with an androgen receptor antagonist prevents most of these alterations, demonstrating that these effects are mediated through androgen receptor activation. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-exposed mice displayed a drastically reduced eosinophil population in the uterus and visceral adipose tissue (VAT). A higher frequency of natural killer (NK) cells and elevated levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α are seen in uteri of androgen-exposed mice, while NK cells in VAT and spleen displayed a higher expression level of CD69, a marker of activation or tissue residency. Distinct alterations of macrophages in the uterus, ovaries, and VAT are also found in DHT-exposed mice and can potentially be linked to PCOS-like traits of the model. Indeed, androgen-exposed mice are insulin-resistant, albeit unaltered fat mass. Collectively, it is demonstrated that hyperandrogenism causes tissue-specific alterations of immune cells in reproductive organs and VAT, which can have considerable implications on tissue function and contribute to the reduced fertility and metabolic comorbidities associated with PCOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Torstensson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
| | - Angelo Ascani
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplaz 15, Graz, 8036, Austria
| | - Sanjiv Risal
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
| | - Haojiang Lu
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
| | - Allan Zhao
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
| | - Alexander Espinosa
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, K2 Reuma Wahren-Herlenius M, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
| | - Eva Lindgren
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
| | - Maria H Johansson
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
| | - Gustaw Eriksson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
| | - Maya Barakat
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
| | - Mikael C I Karlsson
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
| | - Camilla Svensson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
| | - Anna Benrick
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 432, Gothenburg, 40530, Sweden
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Stener-Victorin E, Teede H, Norman RJ, Legro R, Goodarzi MO, Dokras A, Laven J, Hoeger K, Piltonen TT. Polycystic ovary syndrome. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2024; 10:27. [PMID: 38637590 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-024-00511-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Despite affecting ~11-13% of women globally, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a substantially understudied condition. PCOS, possibly extending to men's health, imposes a considerable health and economic burden worldwide. Diagnosis in adults follows the International Evidence-based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, requiring two out of three criteria - clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, and/or specific ovarian morphological characteristics or elevated anti-Müllerian hormone. However, diagnosing adolescents omits ovarian morphology and anti-Müllerian hormone considerations. PCOS, marked by insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism, strongly contributes to early-onset type 2 diabetes, with increased odds for cardiovascular diseases. Reproduction-related implications include irregular menstrual cycles, anovulatory infertility, heightened risks of pregnancy complications and endometrial cancer. Beyond physiological manifestations, PCOS is associated with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, psychosexual dysfunction and negative body image, collectively contributing to diminished health-related quality of life in patients. Despite its high prevalence persisting into menopause, diagnosing PCOS often involves extended timelines and multiple health-care visits. Treatment remains ad hoc owing to limited understanding of underlying mechanisms, highlighting the need for research delineating the aetiology and pathophysiology of the syndrome. Identifying factors contributing to PCOS will pave the way for personalized medicine approaches. Additionally, exploring novel biomarkers, refining diagnostic criteria and advancing treatment modalities will be crucial in enhancing the precision and efficacy of interventions that will positively impact the lives of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Helena Teede
- Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, Monash Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert J Norman
- Robinson Research Institute, Adelaide Medical School, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Richard Legro
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- Department of Public Health Science, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Mark O Goodarzi
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anuja Dokras
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joop Laven
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Kathleen Hoeger
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Terhi T Piltonen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Research Unit of Clinical Medicine, Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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Stener-Victorin E, Eriksson G, Mohan Shrestha M, Rodriguez Paris V, Lu H, Banks J, Samad M, Perian C, Jude B, Engman V, Boi R, Nilsson E, Ling C, Nyström J, Wernstedt Asterholm I, Turner N, Lanner J, Benrick A. Proteomic analysis shows decreased type I fibers and ectopic fat accumulation in skeletal muscle from women with PCOS. eLife 2024; 12:RP87592. [PMID: 38180081 PMCID: PMC10945439 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Polycystic ovary syndrome's (PCOS) main feature is hyperandrogenism, which is linked to a higher risk of metabolic disorders. Gene expression analyses in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle reveal dysregulated metabolic pathways in women with PCOS, but these differences do not necessarily lead to changes in protein levels and biological function. Methods To advance our understanding of the molecular alterations in PCOS, we performed global proteomic and phosphorylation site analysis using tandem mass spectrometry, and analyzed gene expression and methylation. Adipose tissue and skeletal muscle were collected at baseline from 10 women with and without PCOS, and in women with PCOS after 5 weeks of treatment with electrical stimulation. Results Perilipin-1, a protein that typically coats the surface of lipid droplets in adipocytes, was increased whereas proteins involved in muscle contraction and type I muscle fiber function were downregulated in PCOS muscle. Proteins in the thick and thin filaments had many altered phosphorylation sites, indicating differences in protein activity and function. A mouse model was used to corroborate that androgen exposure leads to a shift in muscle fiber type in controls but not in skeletal muscle-specific androgen receptor knockout mice. The upregulated proteins in muscle post treatment were enriched in pathways involved in extracellular matrix organization and wound healing, which may reflect a protective adaptation to repeated contractions and tissue damage due to needling. A similar, albeit less pronounced, upregulation in extracellular matrix organization pathways was also seen in adipose tissue. Conclusions Our results suggest that hyperandrogenic women with PCOS have higher levels of extra-myocellular lipids and fewer oxidative insulin-sensitive type I muscle fibers. These could be key factors leading to insulin resistance in PCOS muscle while electric stimulation-induced tissue remodeling may be protective. Funding Swedish Research Council (2020-02485, 2022-00550, 2020-01463), Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF22OC0072904), and IngaBritt and Arne Lundberg Foundation. Clinical trial number NTC01457209.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gustaw Eriksson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
| | - Man Mohan Shrestha
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | | | - Haojiang Lu
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
| | - Jasmine Banks
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South WalesSydneyAustralia
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, DarlinghurstSydneyAustralia
| | - Manisha Samad
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Charlène Perian
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Baptiste Jude
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
| | - Viktor Engman
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
| | - Roberto Boi
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Emma Nilsson
- Epigenetics and Diabetes Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University Diabetes Centre, Lund UniversityMalmöSweden
| | - Charlotte Ling
- Epigenetics and Diabetes Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University Diabetes Centre, Lund UniversityMalmöSweden
| | - Jenny Nyström
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Ingrid Wernstedt Asterholm
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Nigel Turner
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South WalesSydneyAustralia
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, DarlinghurstSydneyAustralia
| | - Johanna Lanner
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
| | - Anna Benrick
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- School of Health Sciences, University of SkövdeSkövdeSweden
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Khatun M, Lundin K, Naillat F, Loog L, Saarela U, Tuuri T, Salumets A, Piltonen TT, Tapanainen JS. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells as a Possible Approach for Exploring the Pathophysiology of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Stem Cell Rev Rep 2024; 20:67-87. [PMID: 37768523 PMCID: PMC10799779 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-023-10627-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrine condition among women with pleiotropic sequelae possessing reproductive, metabolic, and psychological characteristics. Although the exact origin of PCOS is elusive, it is known to be a complex multigenic disorder with a genetic, epigenetic, and environmental background. However, the pathogenesis of PCOS, and the role of genetic variants in increasing the risk of the condition, are still unknown due to the lack of an appropriate study model. Since the debut of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology, the ability of reprogrammed somatic cells to self-renew and their potential for multidirectional differentiation have made them excellent tools to study different disease mechanisms. Recently, researchers have succeeded in establishing human in vitro PCOS disease models utilizing iPSC lines from heterogeneous PCOS patient groups (iPSCPCOS). The current review sets out to summarize, for the first time, our current knowledge of the implications and challenges of iPSC technology in comprehending PCOS pathogenesis and tissue-specific disease mechanisms. Additionally, we suggest that the analysis of polygenic risk prediction based on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) could, theoretically, be utilized when creating iPSC lines as an additional research tool to identify women who are genetically susceptible to PCOS. Taken together, iPSCPCOS may provide a new paradigm for the exploration of PCOS tissue-specific disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masuma Khatun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki, 00029 HUS, Finland.
| | - Karolina Lundin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki, 00029 HUS, Finland
| | - Florence Naillat
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Liisa Loog
- Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51010, Estonia
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Ulla Saarela
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Research Unit of Clinical Medicine, Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Timo Tuuri
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki, 00029 HUS, Finland
| | - Andres Salumets
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, 50406, Estonia
- Competence Centre of Health Technologies, Tartu, 50411, Estonia
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Stockholm, 14186, Sweden
| | - Terhi T Piltonen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Research Unit of Clinical Medicine, Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Juha S Tapanainen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki, 00029 HUS, Finland
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, HFR - Cantonal Hospital of Fribourg and University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
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