The Gut Microbiome in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Its Association with Metabolic Traits

Abstract

Context: Despite the gut microbiome being widely studied in metabolic diseases, its role in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been scarcely investigated.

Objective: Compare the gut microbiome in late fertile age women with and without PCOS and investigate whether changes in the gut microbiome correlate with PCOS-related metabolic parameters.

Design: Prospective, case-control study using the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966.

Setting: General community.

Participants: A total of 102 PCOS women and 201 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched non-PCOS control women. Clinical and biochemical characteristics of the participants were assessed at ages 31 and 46 and analyzed in the context of gut microbiome data at the age of 46.

Intervention: (s): None.

Main outcome measure(s): Bacterial diversity, relative abundance, and correlations with PCOS-related metabolic measures.

Results: Bacterial diversity indices did not differ significantly between PCOS and controls (Shannon diversity P = .979, unweighted UniFrac P = .175). Four genera whose balance helps to differentiate between PCOS and non-PCOS were identified. In the whole cohort, the abundance of 2 genera from Clostridiales, Ruminococcaceae UCG-002, and Clostridiales Family XIII AD3011 group, were correlated with several PCOS-related markers. Prediabetic PCOS women had significantly lower alpha diversity (Shannon diversity P = .018) and markedly increased abundance of genus Dorea (false discovery rate = 0.03) compared with women with normal glucose tolerance.

Conclusion: PCOS and non-PCOS women at late fertile age with similar BMI do not significantly differ in their gut microbial profiles. However, there are significant microbial changes in PCOS individuals depending on their metabolic health.

Keywords: PCOS; gut microbiome; metabolic traits; type 2 diabetes.