Thioredoxin-interacting protein is associated with obesity-induced insulin resistance in PCOS patients: a large-scale...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder often associated with obesity and insulin resistance (IR), though the role of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) in obesity-induced IR in PCOS remains unclear. This study explores the relationship between TXNIP levels and obesity-associated IR in women with PCOS.

A case-control study was conducted from January 2019 to December 2020, including 161 women with PCOS and 107 healthy controls. PCOS patients were categorized into insulin-resistant (IR) and non-IR subgroups, further divided by BMI into obese, overweight, and normal weight groups. The metabolic parameters such as cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, homocysteine, and serum TXNIP levels were measured. Logistic regression assessed the relationship between TXNIP expression and metabolic dysfunction.

TXNIP levels were significantly higher in the PCOS group compared to controls (67% increase), with a further 56% increase in the IR subgroup. The TXNIP levels were elevated in the obese group compared to overweight and normal weight groups (P < 0.05). TXNIP expression was negatively correlated with obesity (R = - 0.116, P = 0.007) and HDL cholesterol (R = - 0.196, P = 0.001), but positively associated with triglycerides (R = 0.181, P = 0.003) and homocysteine (R = 0.130, P = 0.034). After adjusting for confounders, TXNIP remained significantly associated with IR (P < 0.05). TXNIP demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance in distinguishing IR from non-IR PCOS patients, with an AUC of 0.89 (95% CI 0.84-0.94; P < 0.001).

TXNIP is significantly correlated with IR in women with PCOS, highlighting its potential as a biomarker for metabolic abnormalities. Further research is needed to fully understand its role in obesity-induced IR in PCOS.