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The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 82, No. 6 1939-1943
Copyright © 1997 by The Endocrine Society

Reproductive Endocrinology

Serum {alpha}-Inhibin Levels in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Relationship to the Serum Androstenedione Level1

Pascal Pigny, Rachel Desailloud, Christine Cortet-Rudelli, Alain Duhamel, Delphine Deroubaix-Allard, André Racadot and Didier Dewailly

Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology (R.D., C.C.R., D.D.R., D.D.) and Laboratory of Endocrinology (P.P., A.R.), Marc Linquette Clinic, Hospital and University Center, F-59037 Lille; and Faculty of Medicine, Centre d’Etude et de Recherche en Informatique Medicale (A.D.), F-59045 Lille, France

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Prof Didier Dewailly, Service d’Endocrinologie et Diabétologie, Clinique Marc Linquette, Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire, F 59037 Lille Cedex, France.

To date, only one study has demonstrated increased serum inhibin levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Moreover, no relationship between serum inhibin and either FSH or androgen levels has been noted. This lack of data could be due to 1) the heterogeneity of PCOS and the small sample size of previous studies, and/or 2) the complexity of circulating inhibin molecular forms, which hinders the precise evaluation of bioactive inhibin. In the present study, {alpha}-inhibin levels were assayed in the serum of 61 healthy women and 72 PCOS patients by means of an {alpha}-{alpha} enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum {alpha}-inhibin levels together with LH and androstenedione (A) levels were significantly increased in PCOS women (mean ± SD, 1.45 ± 0.55 vs. 0.94 ± 0.36 U/mL in controls; P < 0.001). Moreover, simple and partial regression analysis demonstrated that serum A levels were positively and independently correlated to serum {alpha}-inhibin (r = 0.32; P < 0.01) and LH levels (r = 0.48; P < 0.001) in PCOS. The respective influences of {alpha}-inhibin and LH on A variability were 20% and 80%, as determined by multiple regression analysis. In conclusion, in agreement with recent in vitro data, our in vivo results argue for a role of inhibin in the hyperandrogenism of PCOS together with, but independently from, that of LH. Further studies are needed to determine whether this effect is produced by inhibin A and/or B.




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