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Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022 9;13:881740. Epub 2022 Jun 9.

Department of Laboratory Medicine, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China.

Background: The role of excess androgen in ovarian reserve remains unclear in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Our study highlights the associations of serum androgen levels and ovarian reserve markers in PCOS and non-PCOS women.

Methods: Totally 584 menstrual abnormalities women of 20-45 years were retrospectively evaluated at the Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital between January 2021 to October 2021. Read More

Biomedicines 2022 May 31;10(6). Epub 2022 May 31.

School of Applied Science, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh EH11 4BN, UK.

First-degree male relatives of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) sufferers can develop metabolic abnormalities evidenced by elevated circulating cholesterol and triglycerides, suggestive of a male PCOS equivalent. Similarly, male sheep overexposed to excess androgens in fetal life develop dyslipidaemia in adolescence. Dyslipidaemia, altered lipid metabolism, and dysfunctional hepatic mitochondria are associated with the development of non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD). Read More

Hum Reprod 2022 Jun 21. Epub 2022 Jun 21.

Female Reproduction and Metabolic Syndromes Laboratory, Division of Molecular Reproduction, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.

Study Question: Do circadian genes exhibit an altered profile in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients and do they have a potential role in androgen excess?

Summary Answer: Our findings revealed that an impaired circadian clock could hamper the regulation of peripheral steroid metabolism in PCOS women.

What Is Known Already: PCOS patients exhibit features of metabolic syndrome. Circadian rhythm disruption is involved in the development of metabolic diseases and subfertility. Read More

J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022 Jun 13. Epub 2022 Jun 13.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.

Context: Syndromes of severe insulin resistance (SIR) include insulin receptoropathy, in which all signaling downstream of the insulin receptor is lost, and lipodystrophy, in which some signaling pathways are impaired and others preserved. Women with SIR commonly have ovarian hyperandrogenemia; adrenal-derived 11-oxygenated androgens, produced by CYP11B1, have not been studied.

Objective: To evaluate classic pathway androgens (androstenedione, testosterone) and 11-oxygenated androgens in women with SIR and hyperandrogenemia, and to elucidate the role of insulin receptor signaling for 11-oxygenated androgen production by comparing lipodystrophy and receptoropathy. Read More

FP Essent 2022 Jun;517:22-26

Department of Dermatology - University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 410 Market St Suite 400, Chapel Hill, NC 27516.

Hypertrichosis and hirsutism can be signs of underlying conditions, some of which may be life-threatening. They also can result in significant psychosocial distress for patients. Hypertrichosis refers to excessive hair growth beyond normal variation for a patient's age, sex, or race or for a particular body area. Read More

J Endocr Soc 2022 Jul 6;6(7):bvac075. Epub 2022 May 6.

Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Bern University Children's Hospital, University of Bern , 3010 Bern, Switzerland.

Context: Fasting is stressful for the human body. It is managed by metabolic adaptations maintaining energy homeostasis and involves steroid hormone biosynthesis, but the exact interplay between energy and steroid metabolism remains elusive. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) suffer from disturbed metabolism and androgen excess, while in women with anorexia nervosa, cortisol and androgen production are decreased. Read More

World J Diabetes 2022 May;13(5):417-419

Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Diyala, Baqubah 32001, Diyala, Iraq.

Hyperandrogenism and hyperinsulinemia have resulted from dysfunction of the theca cell of the ovary and adipose tissue and each one potentiates the other in patients with androgen excess disorders polycystic ovary disease and idiopathic hirsutism. Possible external and/or internal triggers can produce such cellular dysfunction. There is evidence that sodium valproate acts as a trigger of cellular dysfunction and produces both hyperinsulinemia and hyperandrogenism. Read More

Trials 2022 Jun 3;23(1):459. Epub 2022 Jun 3.

Chinese Medicine Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional, 110 Ganhe Road, Shanghai, 200438, China.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common heterogeneous endocrine disease among women of childbearing age, characterized by androgen excess and ovarian dysfunction. Aerobic exercise is an important solution used to manage PCOS, due to its multiple benefits. Yi Jin Jing is an important component of traditional Chinese exercise (TCE), based on the root of traditional Chinese medicine theory (TCM), which focuses on keeping the body as a whole in a harmonious state. Read More

J Anim Sci 2022 Jun;100(6)

Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA.

Beef cows with excess androstenedione (A4; High A4) in follicular fluid (FF) and secreted by the ovarian cortex have been reported from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln physiology herd displaying characteristics reminiscent of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Thus, we hypothesized that naturally occurring High A4 cows were present in other dairy and beef herds. Fourteen Jordan (Amman, Jordon) dairy heifers and 16 U. Read More

Int J Fertil Steril 2022 Apr 8;16(2):128-131. Epub 2022 May 8.

Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Email:

Current guidelines for gender assignment for all 46,XX congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) continue to be female. This decision is most challenging for individuals with a 46,XX karyotype born with (CAH) having severely masculinized genitalia (Prader 4 or 5). They may be at significant risk for quality of life (QoL) and psychological health. Read More

Endocrinol Diabetes Nutr (Engl Ed) 2022 Apr;69(4):279-288

Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.

Background: Low prolactin levels have been found to impair libido and arousal, as well as to reduce wellbeing in young women.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether drug-induced hypoprolactinaemia affects male sexual function and depressive symptoms.

Methods: The study population consisted of three groups of young and middle-aged men. Read More

BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2022 May 25;23(1):493. Epub 2022 May 25.

Research Program in Men's Health: Aging and Metabolism, Boston Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center for Function Promoting Therapies, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Background: A spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating, life-changing event that has profoundly deleterious effects on an individual's health and well-being. Dysregulation of neuromuscular, cardiometabolic, and endocrine organ systems following an SCI contribute to excess morbidity, mortality and a poor quality of life. As no effective treatments currently exist for SCI, the development of novel strategies to improve the functional and health status of individuals living with SCI are much needed. Read More

J Endocr Soc 2022 Jul 9;6(7):bvac037. Epub 2022 Mar 9.

Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA.

Context: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is common and diagnosis requires an elevated testosterone. The clinical importance of adrenal 11-oxyandrogens in PCOS is unclear.

Objective: We sought to determine if 11-oxyandrogens 1) better identify PCOS diagnosis compared to testosterone, 2) predict clinical comorbidities of PCOS, and 3) are altered with an combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP) or metformin therapy. Read More

Gynecol Obstet Fertil Senol 2022 May 21. Epub 2022 May 21.

Service d'endocrinologie, hôpital Saint-Antoine, 184, rue du faubourg Saint-Antoine, 75012 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.

Postmenopausal hyperandrogenism is an androgen excess originating from either the adrenals and/or the ovaries. Clinically, symptoms can be moderate (increase in terminal hair growth, acnea) or severe with signs of virilization (alopecia, clitoridomegaly). In either setting, physicians need to exclude relatively rare but potentially life-threatening underlying tumorous causes, such as adrenal androgen-secreting tumors. Read More

J Clin Pharmacol 2022 May 23. Epub 2022 May 23.

Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.

Males with early-onset androgenic alopecia are characterized by elevated androgen levels. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the presence of this condition modulates the impact of metformin on pituitary hormone production. This study compared 2 groups of young men with prediabetes, matched for age, blood pressure, and insulin sensitivity: 23 subjects with early-onset male-pattern baldness (group 1) and 25 individuals with normal hair growth (group 2). Read More

J Endocr Soc 2022 Jun 22;6(6):bvac063. Epub 2022 Apr 22.

Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA.

Context: Ovarian estradiol supports female sexual behavior and metabolic function. While ovariectomy (OVX) in rodents abolishes sexual behavior and enables obesity, OVX in nonhuman primates decreases, but does not abolish, sexual behavior, and inconsistently alters weight gain.

Objective: We hypothesize that extra-ovarian estradiol provides key support for both functions, and to test this idea, we employed aromatase inhibition to eliminate extra-ovarian estradiol biosynthesis and diet-induced obesity to enhance weight gain. Read More

Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther 2022 May 19;20(5):343-349. Epub 2022 May 19.

Department of Internal Medicine, Ochsner Health System, New Orleans, LA, US.

Introduction: Endogenous testosterone deficiency or excess anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) have been linked to alter the physiology of different organs in the body, more specifically, the vasculature of coronary arteries. Despite the health-related concerns of using synthetic testosterone derivatives, such as AAS, there has been a tremendous increase in the use of AAS among athletes and bodybuilders.

Areas Covered: We have highlighted the three main mechanisms that AAS increase the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD): altering the homeostasis of lipid metabolism which results in dyslipidemia and subsequently atherosclerosis, disturbing the function of platelet which results in platelet aggregation and subsequent thrombosis, and increasing the risk of coronary vasospasm by affecting the physiological function of vascular bed. Read More

Compr Physiol 2022 03 29;12(2):3347-3369. Epub 2022 Mar 29.

Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a major endocrine disorder strongly associated with androgen excess and frequently leading to female infertility. Although classically considered an ovarian disease, altered neuroendocrine control of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons in the brain and abnormal gonadotropin secretion may underpin PCOS presentation. Defective regulation of GnRH pulse generation in PCOS promotes high luteinizing hormone (LH) pulsatile secretion, which in turn overstimulates ovarian androgen production. Read More

Sci Rep 2022 May 16;12(1):8078. Epub 2022 May 16.

Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, ul. Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland.

2D:4D finger length ratio is a proxy of prenatal sex hormone exposure. Prenatal testosterone decreases and prenatal estrogens increase this index. In the current study we investigated whether the 2D:4D index, as a marker of the prenatal hormonal environment, is associated with the development of overweight and obesity in adults, and whether is it correlated with the rate of weight loss in patients after bariatric surgery. Read More

Endocrinology 2022 Jul;163(7)

Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrinopathy in women. A common symptom of PCOS is hyperandrogenism (AE); however, the source of these androgens is uncertain. Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C3 (AKR1C3) catalyzes the formation of testosterone (T) and 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in peripheral tissues, which activate the androgen receptor (AR). Read More

J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022 May 3. Epub 2022 May 3.

Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de cardiologie et pneumologie de Québec-Université Laval, QC, Canada.

Background: Body fat distribution is a risk factor for obesity-associated comorbidities, and adipose tissue dysfunction plays a role in this association. In humans, there is a sex difference in body fat distribution, and steroid hormones are known to regulate several cellular processes within adipose tissue. Our aim was to investigate if intra-adipose steroid concentration and expression or activity of steroidogenic enzymes were associated with features of adipose tissue dysfunction in individuals with severe obesity. Read More

Cureus 2022 Mar 31;14(3):e23678. Epub 2022 Mar 31.

Emergency Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA.

Abiraterone acetate is an androgen-depriving therapy (ADT) that is highly effective for treating castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). By inhibiting CYP17, abiraterone can induce a state of mineralocorticoid excess, which is associated with profound hypokalemia. We present a case of abiraterone-related hypokalemia which led to torsades de pointes (TdP) and ventricular fibrillation (VF). Read More

Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes 2022 24;15:1281-1291. Epub 2022 Apr 24.

Department of Endocrinology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common reproductive, endocrine, and metabolic disorders in premenopausal women. Clinically, PCOS is mainly caused by androgen excess and ovarian dysfunction, manifested by anovulatory menstrual cycles, infertility, and hirsutism. In addition, PCOS increases the risk of insulin resistance, obesity, cardiovascular disease, anxiety and depression, dyslipidemia, and endometrial cancer. Read More

Anim Reprod 2022 22;19(1):e20210134. Epub 2022 Apr 22.

Laboratorio de Endocrinología y Metabolismo, Facultad de Medicina Occidente, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Rodent models in rats, mice, and guinea pigs have been extremely helpful to gain insight into pregnancy physiology and pathologies-related. Moreover, they have allowed understanding the mechanism that links an adverse intrauterine environment with the origin of adult disease. In this regard, the effects of diverse maternal conditions, such as undernutrition, obesity, hypoxia, and hyperandrogenism on placental function and its long-term consequences for the offspring, have been widely analyzed through rodents models involving dietary manipulations, modifications in environmental oxygen, surgical and pharmacological procedures that reduce uteroplacental blood flow and administrations of exogenous testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) mimicking maternal androgen excess. Read More

Bioengineered 2022 04;13(4):10875-10888

Center for Reproductive Medicine, Drum Tower Clinical Medical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.

The purpose of this study was to explore the potential molecular mechanisms of excess homocysteine in relation to autophagic activity in the ovarian tissue of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) with hyperandrogenism.A PCOS model was constructed using ICR mice. ELISA was used to detect the Hcy levels in the serum and ovarian tissues of PCOS model. Read More

Front Mol Biosci 2022 8;9:860387. Epub 2022 Apr 8.

Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.

Cellular sulfation pathways rely on the activated sulfate 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS). In humans, PAPS is exclusively provided by the two PAPS synthases PAPSS1 and PAPSS2. Mutations found in the PAPSS2 gene result in severe disease states such as bone dysplasia, androgen excess and polycystic ovary syndrome. Read More

Arch Gynecol Obstet 2022 Apr 18. Epub 2022 Apr 18.

Academic Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Allam Diabetes Centre, The University of Hull, Hull York Medical School (HYMS), Hull, UK.

Context: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disease that affects women of reproductive age and is characterised by biochemical and clinical androgen excess.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of pharmacological interventions used to decrease androgen hormones in women with PCOS.

Data Source: We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane library and the Web of Science from inception up to March 2021. Read More

Nat Rev Endocrinol 2022 Jun 11;18(6):337-352. Epub 2022 Apr 11.

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA.

Treatment for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) was introduced in the 1950s following the discovery of the structure and function of adrenocortical hormones. Although major advances in molecular biology have delineated steroidogenic mechanisms and the genetics of CAH, management and treatment of this condition continue to present challenges. Management is complicated by a combination of comorbidities that arise from disease-related hormonal derangements and treatment-related adverse effects. Read More

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022 24;13:848274. Epub 2022 Mar 24.

Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.

Classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is the most common primary adrenal insufficiency in children, involving cortisol deficiency, hyperandrogenism, and cardiometabolic risk. Prior studies have reported that youth with classical CAH have a higher prevalence of the components of metabolic syndrome: obesity, hypertension, elevated fasting blood glucose, and dyslipidemia. Yet, the incidence of the complete metabolic syndrome itself in children and adolescents with CAH is relatively rare. Read More

Biochem Pharmacol 2022 05 5;199:115012. Epub 2022 Apr 5.

Healthy Environment and Endocrine Disruptor Strategies, Commonweal, Bolinas, CA 92924, United States. Electronic address:

Obesity is a chronic, relapsing condition characterized by excess body fat. Its prevalence has increased globally since the 1970s, and the number of obese and overweight people is now greater than those underweight. Obesity is a multifactorial condition, and as such, many components contribute to its development and pathogenesis. Read More