Association of serum glypican-4 levels with cardiovascular risk predictors in women with polycystic ovary syndrome - a pilot study

Gynecol Endocrinol. 2016;32(3):223-6. doi: 10.3109/09513590.2015.1110137. Epub 2015 Nov 16.

Abstract

Objective: Glypican-4 (Gpc4) is an adipokine which interacts with the insulin receptor and affects insulin sensitivity in proteoglycans. Insulin resistance plays a crucial role in the etiology of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is associated with metabolic disturbances such as abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes. Thus, higher levels of Gpc4 released from visceral adipose tissue in women with PCOS may suggest an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Design: The aim of this pilot study was to determine whether the serum Gpc4 level is associated with cardiovascular risk predictors in women with PCOS.

Methods: Sixty-two women with PCOS according to the Rotterdam criteria (20-35 years old) and 43 healthy controls were studied. Cardiovascular risk predictors such as obesity indices, fat deposits according to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, biochemical lipid profile parameters and Homeostasis Model Assessment were estimated.

Results: The serum Gpc4 level in PCOS women was significantly higher (2.61 ± 1.17 ng/ml) than in the control group (1.55 ± 0.47 ng/ml) and correlated with waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, total fat and android fat deposit to gynoid fat deposit ratio only in the PCOS group.

Conclusion: The Gpc4 level was higher in the PCOS group and correlated with CVD risk predictors, especially fat distribution.

Keywords: Cardiovascular risk predictors; glypican-4; polycystic ovary syndrome.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / blood*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / complications
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Female
  • Glypicans / blood*
  • Humans
  • Intra-Abdominal Fat / metabolism
  • Pilot Projects
  • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / blood*
  • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / complications
  • Risk Assessment
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • GPC4 protein, human
  • Glypicans