Placental mRNA Expression of Neurokinin B Is Increased in PCOS Pregnancies with Female Offspring
January 2024
TLDR Neurokinin B levels are higher in the placentas of women with PCOS who have female babies.
The study investigated the placental mRNA expression of Neurokinin B (NKB) and Kisspeptin (KISS1) in 31 women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and 37 control women with term, uncomplicated, singleton pregnancies. It found that NKB expression was higher in PCOS pregnancies with female offspring and was influenced by fetal gender, being higher in male fetuses. NKB expression correlated positively with umbilical cord free androgen index (FAI) and Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), while KISS1 correlated with cord testosterone and FAI. Women with PCOS had higher serum AMH and FAI and lower sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) than controls. These findings suggest that NKB may play a role in PCOS-related placental dysfunction and highlight the importance of considering fetal gender in such studies.
