Evidence for Masculinization of Adipokine Gene Expression in Visceral and Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue of Obese Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

The study examined adipokine gene expression in obese individuals with and without Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) to explore potential sexual dimorphism in adipose tissue function. It included 7 severely obese men, 7 control women, and 7 women with PCOS, all undergoing bariatric surgery, and an additional 40 women with PCOS and 40 matched control women. The findings revealed that chemerin and lipocalin-2 expression was higher in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) than in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) in men and women with PCOS, a pattern not observed in control women. Omentin-1 expression was higher in VAT than in SAT across all groups. No differences in skeletal muscle expression of these adipokines were noted. Obesity increased serum chemerin and lipocalin-2 levels and tended to decrease omentin-1, regardless of PCOS status. The study concluded that there is sexual dimorphism in adipose tissue functions, potentially related to androgen levels, as indicated by the masculinized pattern of adipokine expression in women with PCOS.