Cera Nicoletta, Pinto Joana, Pignatelli Duarte
Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal.
Research Unit in Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy, Cross I&D Lisbon Research Centre, Escola Superior de Saúde da Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa, 1300-125 Lisbon, Portugal.
Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2024 May 25;46(6):5223-5241. doi: 10.3390/cimb46060313.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder that affects women of reproductive age, representing the primary cause of anovulatory infertility. The nonapeptide oxytocin (OT) plays an important role in cognitive, emotional, and reproductive functions in human beings. Oxytocin receptors are expressed in several body parts, including the ovaries. Despite this, the possible role played by oxytocin in symptoms of PCOS is not clear. The present systematic review aimed at understanding the presence of possible oxytocin level alterations in PCOS, the connection between alterations of OT levels and the symptoms of PCOS, and the effect of oxytocin administration in PCOS. After a systematic search in the principal databases, eight studies, five human and three animal, were included. Four human studies and one animal study highlighted the role played by oxytocin in fertility issues related to PCOS. Three human and two animal studies investigated the role of body weight and OT levels. Studies that analyzed oxytocin basal levels in women agreed that PCOS is associated with a reduction in the serum level of oxytocin. Two human studies and one animal study agreed about lower levels of oxytocin, confirming a possible implication of the dysfunction of OT in the pathogenesis of PCOS.
多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）是影响育龄女性的最常见内分泌疾病，是无排卵性不孕的主要原因。九肽催产素（OT）在人类认知、情绪和生殖功能中发挥重要作用。催产素受体在包括卵巢在内的多个身体部位表达。尽管如此，催产素在PCOS症状中可能发挥的作用尚不清楚。本系统综述旨在了解PCOS中催产素水平可能存在的变化、OT水平变化与PCOS症状之间的联系以及催产素给药对PCOS的影响。在对主要数据库进行系统检索后，纳入了八项研究，其中五项人体研究和三项动物研究。四项人体研究和一项动物研究强调了催产素在与PCOS相关的生育问题中所起的作用。三项人体研究和两项动物研究调查了体重与OT水平的作用。分析女性催产素基础水平的研究一致认为，PCOS与血清催产素水平降低有关。两项人体研究和一项动物研究对较低的催产素水平观点一致，证实了OT功能障碍可能在PCOS发病机制中起作用。
