Analysis of Oxidative Stress Status Through MN Test and Serum MDA Levels in PCOS Women

Abstract

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a multifactorial reproductive healthcare problem affecting 4-12% of women and a leading cause of female infertility worldwide. The potential genetic contributors of PCOS are unclear. However, over the past decade emerging evidence has shown that increased Oxidative Stress (OS) and decreased antioxidant status were often linked with PCOS. The present case-control study was aimed to assess the reactive oxygen species induced OS in women from South India. A total of 164 individuals comprising of 89 patients and 75 controls were enrolled in the present study. For all the subjects, the frequency of micronucleated cells (MNC) in epithelial samples and serum Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were estimated to assess genomic instability and cytotoxicity respectively. A statistically significant difference between the groups were identified with respect to Body Mass Index, Waist to Hip Ratio, luteinizing hormone and prolactin levels (< 0.05), however the mean follicle stimulating hormone was not different between the groups (p = 0.055). The frequency of MN cells (5.89 ± 4.86 vs. 2.24 ± 2.01) and mean serum MDA (360.84 ± 87.08 vs. 301.70 ± 82.82) levels were considerably higher in patients than controls (p = < 0.0001), furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between MNC and MDA levels in patients (r = 0.349, p = 0.0008) and not in controls (r = 0.104, p = 0.37), suggest high OS in PCOS women. Therefore, MN assay and serum MDA levels may serve together or individually as biomarkers of OS in PCOS women.

Roles of Oxidative Stress in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Cancers

“…Micronucleus (MN) frequency, evaluated by cytokinesis block micronucleus index, which reflects genomic instability, is increased in PCOS patients compared with controls [ 158 – 161 ]. Furthermore, women with PCOS show a significant increase in DNA strand breakage and H 2 O 2 -induced DNA damage [ 162 ].…”

“…Serum MDA levels, an OS marker, were observed to be positively correlated with MN in PCOS patients but not the normal [ 158 ]. In addition, mtDNA copy number was negatively correlated with indices of insulin resistance, waist circumference, and triglyceride levels and positively correlated with sex hormone-binding globulin levels [ 163 ].…”

Micronuclei frequencies in lymphocytes and cervical cells of women with polycystic ovarian syndrome

“…Zuo et al ( 17 ) reported that variable oxidative stress in PCOS, instability of genes, and DNA mutations increased the risk and potentially contributed to the pathogenesis of gynecologic cancers. Deepika et al ( 18 ) reported that serum malondialdehyde levels of oxidative stress markers showed a positive correlation with MN in patients with PCOS.…”

“…There are also studies about the increased oxidative stress markers in patients with PCOS and this mechanism has been accepted to be related to mutagenesis in these patients ( 5 , 15 ) . Some investigators reported a positive correlation between oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation and genotoxicity ( 16 , 17 , 18 ) . This type of damage can lead to chromosomal losses and rearrangements.…”

“…At the molecular level, this kind of DNA damage could be silenced tumor supressor genes and activated oncogenes. It could then initiate cancer development by adding epigenetic changes ( 17 , 18 , 19 ) . In our study, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups regarding MN frequency in peripheral blood lymphocytes (p=0.239).…”