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Updated: May 11, 2026
A Hyperandrogenic Mouse Model to Study Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Published on: October 2, 2018
Bone morphogenetic proteins and the polycystic ovary syndrome
E Leonie Af van Houten1, Joop Se Laven, Yvonne V Louwers
1Department of Internal Medicine, Room Ee532, Erasmus MC, P,O Box 2040, Rotterdam, CA 3000, The Netherlands. j.visser@erasmusmc.nl.
Background:
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is defined by two out of the following three criteria being met: oligo- or anovulation, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries. Affected women are often obese and insulin resistant. Although the etiology is still unknown, members of the Transforming Growth Factor β (TGFβ) family, including Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), have been implicated to play a role. In this pilot study we aimed to measure serum BMP levels in PCOS patients.
Methods:
Twenty patients, fulfilling the definition of PCOS according to the Rotterdam Criteria, were randomly selected. Serum BMP2, -4, -6 and -7 levels were measured using commercially available BMP2, BMP4, BMP6 and BMP7 immunoassays.
Results:
Serum BMP2, serum BMP4 and serum BMP6 levels were undetectable. Three patients had detectable serum BMP7 levels, albeit at the lower limit of the standard curve.
Conclusions:
BMP levels were undetectable in almost all patients. This suggests that with the current sensitivity of the BMP assays, measurement of serum BMP levels is not suitable as a diagnostic tool for PCOS.
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