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Review
. 2022 Apr:180:108989.
doi: 10.1016/j.steroids.2022.108989. Epub 2022 Feb 18.

Pathology of hyperandrogenemia in the oocyte of polycystic ovary syndrome

Neil R Chappell  1 , William E Gibbons  1 , Chellakkan S Blesson  2
Affiliations
Review

Pathology of hyperandrogenemia in the oocyte of polycystic ovary syndrome

Neil R Chappell et al. Steroids. 2022 Apr.

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common ovulatory disorder in the world and is associated with multiple adverse outcomes. The phenotype is widely varied, with several pathologies contributing to the spectrum of the disease including insulin resistance, obesity and hyperandrogenemia. Of these, the role of hyperandrogenemia and the mechanism by which it causes dysfunction remains poorly understood. Early studies have shown that androgens may affect the metabolic pathways of a cell, and this may pose hazards at the level of the mitochondria. As mitochondria are strictly maternally inherited, this would provide an exciting explanation not only to the pathophysiology of PCOS as a disease, but also to the inheritance pattern. This review seeks to summarize what is known about PCOS and associated adverse outcomes with focus on the role of hyperandrogenemia and specific emphasis on the oocyte.

Keywords: Embryo; Hyperandrogenemia; Oocyte; PCOS; Polycystic ovary syndrome.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interest: The authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

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