Inflammatory response and immunological alteration in polycystic ovary syndrome: An integrative case-control study

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine condition affecting females of reproductive age with low-grade inflammation; however, the relationship between the immune system and PCOS remains unidentified.

Our study aimed to investigate the association between inflammation-mediated and immune-modulating molecules in women with PCOS and to highlight their potential roles and interactions in mediating chronic low-grade inflammation.

90 Iraqi women were involved in a case-control study, aged between 18 and 45 years, divided into pairs of groups, first one group of 50 women who had been recently diagnosed with PCOS according to Rotterdam criteria, and 40 apparently healthy women. Serum concentrations of Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), Human Leukocyte Antigen Type-G (HLA-G), Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70), Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH), Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), and Estradiol (E2) were estimated using standard immunoassays. Statistical analysis was performed to compare groups and assess the association between biomarkers and clinical features.

Our results showed higher levels of AMH, GnRH, COX2, PGE2, HLA-G, and HSP70 in PCOS women compared to women without PCOS. Alongside women with PCOS, the E2 concentration showed no significant difference from that in the control group. For COX2, PGE2, and HSP70, the area under the curve (AUC) was 1.000. For HLA-G, the AUC was 0.964.

The findings suggest that inflammatory mediators and immune-regulatory molecules are associated with the inflammatory and immunological alterations observed in PCOS, providing additional insights into the underlying biological mechanisms. Further studies are warranted to validate their potential clinical utility.