Immunohistochemical detection of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in polycystic ovaries

Anovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is incompletely understood. The concentration of the glycoprotein plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is raised in insulin resistance. This has been described in the granulosa and theca cell layers of the animal but not the human ovary. This study was performed to investigate the location of PAI-1 in the human ovary and investigate whether it may contribute to anovulation in PCOS. PAI-1 was localized immunohistochemically and quantitated using computer image analysis in 17 ovarian follicles from five women with a diagnosis of PCOS and compared with 15 follicles from six normal ovaries. PAI-1 was predominantly found in the granulosa and theca cells in both polycystic and normal ovaries. Image analysis did not reveal a difference in the PAI-1 signal from polycystic compared with normal ovaries. This study shows that PAI-1 plays a role in human ovulation, but its role in PCOS requires further research.