Jiang Linlin, Huang Jia, Chen Yaxiao, Yang Yabo, Li Ruiqi, Li Yu, Chen Xiaoli, Yang Dongzi

Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 107 Yan Jiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People's Republic of China.| Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 107 Yan Jiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People's Republic of China.| Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 107 Yan Jiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People's Republic of China.| Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 107 Yan Jiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People's Republic of China.| Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 107 Yan Jiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People's Republic of China.| Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 107 Yan Jiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People's Republic of China.| Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 107 Yan Jiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People's Republic of China.| Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 107 Yan Jiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People's Republic of China. yangfuchanke@163.com.

Endocrine. 2016 Jul;53(1):280-90. doi: 10.1007/s12020-016-0878-9. Epub 2016 Feb

This study aimed to detect serum microRNAs (miRNAs) differentially expressed between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients with impaired glucose metabolism (IGM), PCOS patients with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), and healthy controls. A TaqMan miRNA array explored serum miRNA profiles as a pilot study, then selected miRNAs were analyzed in a validation cohort consisting of 65 PCOS women with IGM, 65 PCOS women with NGT, and 45 healthy women The relative expression of miR-122, miR-193b, and miR-194 was up-regulated in PCOS patients compared with controls, whereas that of miR-199b-5p was down-regulated. Furthermore, miR-122, miR-193b, and miR-194 were increased in the PCOS-IGM group compared with the PCOS-NGT group. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that miR-193b and body mass index contributed independently to explain 43.7 % (P < 0.0001) of homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance after adjustment for age. Investigation of diagnostic values confirmed the optimal combination of BMI and miR-193b to explore the possibility of IGM in PCOS women with area under the curve of 0.752 (95 % CI 0.667-0.837, P < 0.001). Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the predicted target functions of these miRNAs mainly involved glycometabolism and ovarian follicle development pathways, including the insulin signaling pathway, the neurotrophin signaling pathway, the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, and regulation of actin cytoskeleton. This study expands our knowledge of the serum miRNA expression profiles of PCOS patients with IGM and the predicted target signal pathways involved in disease pathophysiology.

Das Debabrata, Arur Swathi

Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.| Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.

Mol Reprod Dev. 2017 Jun;84(6):444-459. doi: 10.1002/mrd.22806. Epub 2017 Apr 24.

Insulin signaling regulates various aspects of physiology, such as glucose homeostasis and aging, and is a key determinant of female reproduction in metazoans. That insulin signaling is crucial for female reproductive health is clear from clinical data linking hyperinsulinemic and hypoinsulinemic condition with certain types of ovarian dysfunction, such as altered steroidogenesis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and infertility. Thus, understanding the signaling mechanisms that underlie the control of insulin-mediated ovarian development is important for the accurate diagnosis of and intervention for female infertility. Studies of invertebrate and vertebrate model systems have revealed the molecular determinants that transduce insulin signaling as well as which biological processes are regulated by the insulin-signaling pathway. The molecular determinants of the insulin-signaling pathway, from the insulin receptor to its downstream signaling components, are structurally and functionally conserved across evolution, from worms to mammals-yet, physiological differences in signaling still exist. Insulin signaling acts cooperatively with gonadotropins in mammals and lower vertebrates to mediate various aspects of ovarian development, mainly owing to evolution of the endocrine system in vertebrates. In contrast, insulin signaling in Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans directly regulates oocyte growth and maturation. In this review, we compare and contrast insulin-mediated regulation of ovarian functions in mammals, lower vertebrates, C. elegans, and Drosophila, and highlight conserved signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms in general while illustrating insulin's unique role in specific reproductive processes.