Elevated level of platelet factor 4 in follicular fluid is associated with polycystic ovary syndrome

This present study aimed to measure platelet factor 4 (PF4) protein level in follicular fluid of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and analyzed the correlation between follicular PF4 level with clinical characteristics.

Sixty-seven women (36 PCOS patients vs. 31 non-PCOS women) were enrolled in the study. Follicular fluid PF4 level was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

The level of PF4 was significantly higher in follicular fluid of patients with PCOS than that of non-PCOS controls (50.5 (95 % CI: 42.8 to 115.86) ng/ml vs. 37.42 (95 % CI: 23.01 to 49.69) ng/ml, p < 0.001). Correlation analysis showed that the level of PF4 was positively related with serum anti-Mullerian hormone (r = 0.3809, p = 0.0015), serum testosterone (r = 0.3629, p = 0.0025), antral follicle count (r = 0.5544, p < 0.0001), and number of oocytes retrieved (r = 0.3799, p = 0.0018) in all patients. The area under the curve of PF4 level in follicular fluid to predict PCOS was 0.723 (95 % CI: 0.600 to 0.847).

Our study demonstrated that the PF4 level was higher in the follicular fluid of patients with PCOS and was associated with key features of PCOS, suggesting that PF4 may play a role in the pathogenesis of PCOS.