Theca Cell Function in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Summary

The mechanism for increased androgen production in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is not well understood. Excess androgen production by the ovary is stimulated by increased pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion in this disorder. The investigators hypothesize that in PCOS women ovarian theca cells, which are responsible for androgen synthesis, are more sensitive to LH stimulation compared to that of theca cells from normal women. To test this hypothesis, the investigators propose to conduct a dose-response study in which androgen responses to multiple doses of human chorionic gonadotgropin (hCG), an LH surrogate, will be assessed in PCOS and normal women.

Timeline

Start

2007-09

Primary completion

2010-04

Completion

2010-09

Publications

• Background Chang RJ. The reproductive phenotype in polycystic ovary syndrome. Nat Clin Pract Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Oct;3(10):688-95. doi: 10.1038/ncpendmet0637.
• Background Wachs DS, Coffler MS, Malcom PJ, Shimasaki S, Chang RJ. Increased androgen response to follicle-stimulating hormone administration in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008 May;93(5):1827-33. doi: 10.1210/jc.2007-2664. Epub 2008 Feb 19.
• Background Wachs DS, Coffler MS, Malcom PJ, Chang RJ. Comparison of follicle-stimulating-hormone-stimulated dimeric inhibin and estradiol responses as indicators of granulosa cell function in polycystic ovary syndrome and normal women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006 Aug;91(8):2920-5. doi: 10.1210/jc.2006-0442. Epub 2006 May 23.
• Background Mehta RV, Malcom PJ, Chang RJ. The effect of androgen blockade on granulosa cell estradiol production after follicle-stimulating hormone stimulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006 Sep;91(9):3503-6. doi: 10.1210/jc.2006-0752. Epub 2006 Jun 27.
• Background Mehta RV, Patel KS, Coffler MS, Dahan MH, Yoo RY, Archer JS, Malcom PJ, Chang RJ. Luteinizing hormone secretion is not influenced by insulin infusion in women with polycystic ovary syndrome despite improved insulin sensitivity during pioglitazone treatment. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Apr;90(4):2136-41. doi: 10.1210/jc.2004-1040. Epub 2005 Jan 11.
• Background Chang RJ. A practical approach to the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2004 Sep;191(3):713-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2004.04.045.
• Maas KH, Chuan S, Harrison E, Cook-Andersen H, Duleba AJ, Chang RJ. Androgen responses to adrenocorticotropic hormone infusion among individual women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertil Steril. 2016 Oct;106(5):1252-1257. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.06.039. Epub 2016 Jul 26.
• Maas KH, Chuan SS, Cook-Andersen H, Su HI, Duleba A, Chang RJ. Relationship between 17-hydroxyprogesterone responses to human chorionic gonadotropin and markers of ovarian follicle morphology in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015 Jan;100(1):293-300. doi: 10.1210/jc.2014-2956.
• Cook-Andersen H, Chuan SS, Maas K, Rosencrantz MA, Su HI, Lawson M, Mason HD, Chang RJ. Lack of Serum anti-Mullerian hormone responses after recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin stimulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015 Jan;100(1):251-7. doi: 10.1210/jc.2014-2948.
• Shayya RF, Rosencrantz MA, Chuan SS, Cook-Andersen H, Roudebush WE, Irene Su H, Shimasaki S, Chang RJ. Decreased inhibin B responses following recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin administration in normal women and women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertil Steril. 2014 Jan;101(1):275-9. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.09.037. Epub 2013 Nov 1.
• Rosencrantz MA, Coffler MS, Haggan A, Duke KB, Donohue MC, Shayya RF, Su HI, Chang RJ. Clinical evidence for predominance of delta-5 steroid production in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Apr;96(4):1106-13. doi: 10.1210/jc.2010-2200. Epub 2011 Jan 26.

Drugs

Indications