Maternal Androgen Excess Induces Cardiac Hypertrophy and Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Female Mice Offspring

The study explored the cardiovascular effects of maternal androgen excess on female mouse offspring, simulating conditions akin to daughters of mothers with PCOS. It was found that prenatal exposure to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) led to cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction in adult female offspring, regardless of maternal diet. This condition was characterized by increased cardiac gene expression related to hypertrophy, fibrosis, and redox signaling, and was evident from neonatal stages through adulthood. Continuous DHT exposure from pre-puberty to adulthood caused further left ventricular hypertrophy and increased vasoconstriction, which was only partially alleviated by flutamide, an antiandrogen. The study concluded that maternal androgen excess has a significant impact on the cardiovascular health of female offspring, potentially increasing the risk of cardiac dysfunction in daughters of women with PCOS. The number of mice used in each experimental group was not specified in the summary.