MicroRNA Species in Follicular Fluid Associating With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Related Intermediary Phenotypes

The study examined the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the follicular fluid of 49 women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and 21 healthy controls, all undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). It found that certain miRNAs, specifically miR-24-3p, -29a, -151-3p, and -574-3p, were down-regulated in PCOS patients compared to controls. Additionally, miR-518f-3p was up-regulated in hyper-androgenic PCOS patients and correlated with testosterone levels. The study concluded that these miRNAs are associated with PCOS and could serve as potential biomarkers for the condition, with miR-151-3p showing high diagnostic value. The findings suggest that an altered miRNA profile may contribute to the heterogeneous nature of PCOS and could help in patient stratification.