Estimating the levels of Vitamin D, Interleukin-17A, Interleukin-22, and Interleukin-34 in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
TL;DR
It can be concluded that there are no statistically significant changes in the levels of vitamin D, IL-17A, or IL-34 between patients and healthy controls, however, there was a notable decrease in the levels of IL-22 in patients with PCOS.
Abstract
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrine disorder affecting women during their reproductive period. The study aims to estimate the concentrations of interleukins (IL-17A, IL-34, and IL-22) and vitamin D levels, besides some hormonal indices in blood serum, and to explain their roles in PCOS pathogenicity in women. This study included ninety samples categorized into two groups: sixty samples from patients with PCOS and thirty samples from a healthy control group. Participants' ages ranged from 19 to 39 years. The PCOS diagnosis is made by a specialist doctor. Blood samples were collected from each woman, both patients and healthy controls, during the menstrual cycle (days 3 and 4) to measure hormonal profile levels of estradiol, testosterone, Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) and vitamin D using a mini VIDAS device. The ELISA technique was used to determine the concentrations of serum IL-17A, IL-34, and IL-22. The results indicated a significant elevation (P <0.05) in testosterone and Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) levels in patients with PCOS compared to the healthy control group. In contrast, estradiol had a significant decrease in PCOS patients. The vitamin D levels in patients with PCOS were lower than those in the healthy control group, without statistical significance. IL-17A and IL-34 exhibited no significant differences between women with PCOS and the healthy group. IL-22 concentrations were reduced in the patients compared to the healthy control group. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that a weak negative correlation was observed between IL-17A and testosterone (r = -0.25), as well as between IL-34 and other variables, including estradiol (r = 0.27) and testosterone (r = 0.28). In contrast, a weak positive correlation was identified between IL-22 and testosterone (r = 0.26). It can be concluded that there are no statistically significant changes in the levels of vitamin D, IL-17A, or IL-34 between patients and healthy controls. However, there was a notable decrease in the levels of IL-22 in patients with PCOS. A drop in IL-22, likely caused by hormonal changes and immune dysregulation, such as chronic low-grade inflammation, may help prevent and treat PCOS.