Context: Although inflammation is clearly associated with obesity, diabetes, and insulin resistance, the role of chronic inflammation in the etiology of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is unclear.
Objective: To determine whether chronic inflammation plays a causal role in the etiology of PCOS, we tested for an association between PCOS and genetic markers mapping to 80 members of the inflammatory pathway.
Design: This was a case-control association study.
Setting: The setting was an academic medical center.
Patients or participants: A total of 905 index case patients with PCOS and 955 control women (108 intensively phenotyped subjects with normal androgen levels and regular menses and 847 minimally phenotyped subjects with regular menses and no history of PCOS).
Interventions: Subjects were genotyped at single nucleotide polymorphisms mapping to 80 inflammatory genes. Logistic regression was used to test for an association between 822 single nucleotide polymorphisms and PCOS after adjustment for population stratification, body mass index, and/or age. In the index patients, we also tested for association with 11 quantitative traits (body mass index and testosterone, fasting insulin, fasting glucose, 2-hour postchallenge glucose, LH, FSH, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride levels).
Main outcome measures: The evidence for an association with PCOS and with 11 quantitative traits was investigated.
Results: Nominally significant evidence for an association was observed with MAP3K7, IKBKG, TNFRS11A, AKT2, IL6R, and IRF1, but no results remained statistically significant after adjustment for multiple testing.
Conclusions: Genetic variation in the inflammatory pathway is not a major contributor to the etiology of PCOS or related quantitative traits in women with PCOS.