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Ghrelin is independently associated with anti-mullerian hormone levels in obese but not non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome

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Abstract

Ghrelin is an endogenous appetite stimulant that may have a role in ovarian function. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome have anovulation and frequently weight management issues; however the associations between ghrelin and hormonal markers in polycystic ovary syndrome have not been well studied. In order to characterize the association between total ghrelin levels and ovarian function and the possible modification of this relationship by obesity, we examined total ghrelin levels and anti-mullerian hormone, total testosterone, and insulin in obese and non-obese women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome. Total ghrelin levels were lower in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (n = 45) compared to obese controls (n = 33) (p = 0.005), but similar in non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (n = 20) compared to non-obese controls (n = 21) (p = NS). In the obese polycystic ovary syndrome group, anti-mullerian hormone was associated with ghrelin levels independent of age, insulin, and total testosterone (p = 0.008). There was no association between total ghrelin and anti-mullerian hormone levels in non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome, non-obese controls, or obese controls (p = NS). Our results provide evidence for a potential relationship between ghrelin and ovarian function in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome that was not observed in non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome or controls.

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Funding

This study was funded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (T32DK007314), National Institutes of Health (U54-HD-068157), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (5P30ES013508-07), and American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Margaret C. Garin

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Samantha F. Butts, Suneeta Senapati & Anuja Dokras

  3. Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    David B. Sarwer & Kelly C. Allison

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  1. Margaret C. Garin
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  2. Samantha F. Butts
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  4. Kelly C. Allison
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  5. Suneeta Senapati
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  6. Anuja Dokras
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Correspondence to Anuja Dokras.

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Conflict of interest

D.B.S. had consulting relationships with BaroNova and Enteromedics at the time the study was conducted. M.C.G. declares that she has no conflict of interest. S.F.B declares that she has no conflict of interest. K.C.A declares that she has no conflict of interest. S.S declares that she has no conflict of interest. A.D. declares that she has no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Garin, M.C., Butts, S.F., Sarwer, D.B. et al. Ghrelin is independently associated with anti-mullerian hormone levels in obese but not non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Endocrine 55, 907–913 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-016-1210-4

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