Significance of atretic follicles as the site of androgen production in polycystic ovaries

Abstract

To examine androgenic potential of polycystic ovaries (PCO), slices of follicular and stromal tissues from the same ovary obtained by wedge resection from two markedly, two moderately and one slightly enlarged PCO were incubated separately with [1-14C] acetate. Incorporation into progestins, androgens and estrogens was assessed by reverse dilution technique with recrystallization to constant specific activity. Although the greatest incorporation into androstenedione with much lesser incorporation into testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone was observed with all the five follicles, the amount of incorporation into the three steroids increased gradedly with histologically defined magnitude of thecal cell hyperplasia in atretic follicles. Only the stromal tissues from two markedly enlarged PCO produced androgens with a similar pattern of 14C distribution among the steroids, thereby incorporation into the three androgens remaining 5.5% or less of that by the follicles from the same ovary. Preoperative levels of plasma androstenedione and urinary 17-ketosteroids were shown to increase in four patients with PCO containing atretic follicles with thecal cell hyperplasia, but not in one patient with slightly enlarged PCO containing atretic follicles without thecal cell hyperplasia. It is inferred that atretic follicles with thecal cell hyperplasia is a significant source of androgen overproduction by PCO.

Ovarian Steroid Production in a Woman With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Associated With Endometrial Cancer

“…This part of the ovary consists of follicular granulosa cells, hyperplastic thecal cells and stromal cells. The granulosa cells are probably less important, quantitatively, for steroidogenesis, since most follicles in typical PCO are atretic with few granulosa cells (12,15). In the present study the amounts of A and T produced in vitro were several-fold higher in thecal than in stromal tissue of the PCO ovary (approx.…”

A quantitative cytochemical analysis of large antral follicles in two types of rat polycystic ovaries

“…In humans (Yoshimura, 1981;Yoshimura et al, 1981;Mori et al, 1982;Nakamura et al, 1982) and in TPinjected rats (Ota et al, 19831, polycystic ovaries are associated with increases in serum testosterone. In the normal preovulatory follicle, androgens are produced in the theca and transported to the peripheral region of the membrana granulosa where they are aromatized to estradiol (Fortune and Armstrdng, 1978).…”

The Impact of Ovarian Laser Surgery on the Gonadotrophin Secretion in Women with Polycystic Ovarian Disease

“…A locally increased blood flow in the sequence of healing processes of the ovaries (Judd et al, 1976) or destruction of androgen-producing ovarian stroma by the drainage of atretic ovarian follicles with their high androgen contents (Mori et al, 1982) have been held responsible for this decline in circulating androgen concentrations. A locally increased blood flow in the sequence of healing processes of the ovaries (Judd et al, 1976) or destruction of androgen-producing ovarian stroma by the drainage of atretic ovarian follicles with their high androgen contents (Mori et al, 1982) have been held responsible for this decline in circulating androgen concentrations.…”