Major determinants of circulating myostatin in polycystic ovary syndrome

The present study was designed to investigate the possible impact of hormonal and demographic parameters of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) on the circulating levels of myostatin. The study cohort comprised 46 patients with PCOS and 42 healthy female controls, and all subjects were of normal weight. Multiple regression analysis was applied to investigate the possible associations between serum myostatin levels and other laboratory parameters. Evaluation of the levels of myostatin revealed no significant differences between the PCOS and control groups (P>0.05). In the control group, no significant correlations were identified between the myostatin levels and any other laboratory parameters. Only low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in the PCOS group were revealed to be significantly, although negatively, associated with myostatin levels (P=0.018). In the regression model of the PCOS group, an increase in LDL-C and prolactin (PRL) were associated with a decrease in myostatin (P=0.001 and P=0.013, respectively). Furthermore, a decrease in sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), fasting blood glucose (FBG) and monocytes were associated with an increase in myostatin (P=0.028, P<0.001 and P=0.026, respectively). An increase in triglycerides was also associated with an increase in myostatin (P=0.001). In the regression model of the control group, a decrease in LDL-C was associated with an increase in myostatin (P=0.003) and a decrease in thyroid-stimulating hormone was associated with a decrease in myostatin (P=0.028). These results indicated that the normal range of myostatin levels in patients with PCOS is regulated by changes in the circulating levels of PRL, LDL-C, SHBG, triglycerides, monocytes and FBG.