GDF-15 levels in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome treated with metformin: a combined clinical and in silico pathway analysis
Abstract
ABSTRACT Objective Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disease characterized by metabolic, reproductive, and psychological manifestations. Growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is a cytokine associated with metabolic and inflammatory disorders. Metformin is commonly used for the treatment of PCOS. We investigated the relationship between GDF-15 levels and PCOS, the effect of metformin on GDF-15 levels, and potential biologic pathways related to GDF-15. Subjects and methods The study included 35 women with PCOS and 32 women without PCOS (controls). Both groups were compared in terms of GDF-15 levels. Additional analysis was conducted on samples from 22 women with PCOS who were treated with either metformin (n = 7) or placebo (n = 15), retrieved from a previous randomized, controlled trial. Levels of GDF-15 were measured using MILLIPLEX. The biologic pathways related to GDF-15 were evaluated using the databases STRING, SIGNOR, and Pathway Commons. The statistical analysis was conducted using the software SPSS. Results Levels of GDF-15 were higher in the PCOS group compared with the non-PCOS group (p = 0.039). Among women with PCOS, GDF-15 levels were higher in those treated with metformin compared with placebo (p = 0.007). The proteins related to GDF-15 overlapped between the databases, and a significant interaction was found between GDF-15 and proteins related to PCOS and its complications, including those related to estrogen response, oxidative stress,…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 35 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Metformin as an adjuvant in breast cancer treatment
- Metformin Lysosomal Targeting: A Novel Aspect to Be Investigated for Metformin Repurposing in Neurodegenerative Diseases?
- Aberrant HSF1 signaling activation underlies metformin amelioration of myocardial infarction in mice
- Metformin induces ZFP36 by mTORC1 inhibition in cervical cancer-derived cell lines
- Protein Interaction Network for Identifying Vascular Response of Metformin (Oral Antidiabetic)
- Preventing Long COVID With Metformin
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.