Placental steroidogenesis in pregnant women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the placental activity of steroid sulfatase (STS), 3b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (3b-HSD-1) and P450 aromatase (P450arom) in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) compared to normal pregnant women. Design: Twenty pregnant women with PCOS and 30 control pregnant women who delivered at term were studied. Samples of placental tissue and cord blood were obtained after delivery. A maternal blood sample was obtained during the 34th week of gestation. In placental tissue, the activities of STS, 3b-HSD- 1 and P450arom were evaluated. In the blood samples, progesterone, DHEAS, DHEA, androstenedione, testosterone, estrone, estradiol and total estriol were determined. Result: In placental tissue from women with PCOS, higher 3b-HSD-1 and lower P450 aromatase activities were observed compared to control women. Moreover, women with PCOS showed higher androstenedione and testosterone concentrations compared to normal pregnant women (p = 0.016 and p = 0.025, respectively). In cord blood, female newborns of women with PCOS exhibited lower androstenedione and higher estriol concentrations compared to daughters of control women (p = 0.038; p = 0.031, respectively). Conclusion: These data suggest that placental tissue from women with PCOS shows changes in the activities of two important enzymes for steroid synthesis, higher 3b-HSD-1 and lower P450, which could increase androgen production during pregnancy.