News | PCOS Affects More Than Women: Assessing Health Risks in Male Offspring
A study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden found that male offspring of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may face metabolic and reproductive health risks. The study highlights the long-term effects of PCOS on male offspring and explores the underlying genetic and epigenetic mechanisms.
Prevalence and impact of PCOS
PCOS is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder worldwide, affecting about 15% of women of reproductive age. Diagnostic criteria include polycystic ovarian morphology, infrequent or absent ovulation, and clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism. PCOS not only reduces fertility but is also closely associated with pregnancy complications such as miscarriage, gestational hypertension, and gestational diabetes.
PCOS is also strongly associated with comorbidities including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, endometrial cancer, anxiety, and depression, substantially affecting quality of life.
Background and research question
Previous research has shown that daughters of mothers with PCOS have a fivefold higher risk of developing the condition. Much less is known about its specific effects on male offspring. To address this question, the team used a longitudinal case-control study and mouse models to examine how PCOS and related metabolic characteristics affect metabolic and reproductive health in male offspring and how these effects may pass across generations.
Methods and key findings
Human study: Metabolic risks in male offspring
The case-control study found higher cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in male offspring of mothers with PCOS. A registry-based study also found that sons of mothers with PCOS and obesity during pregnancy had a higher body mass index (BMI), larger waist circumference, and a significantly greater prevalence of overweight or obesity.
Mouse model: Transgenerational mechanisms
Using mouse models, researchers confirmed the effects of PCOS-like traits induced by prenatal androgen exposure or maternal obesity on male offspring and explored transgenerational mechanisms. First-generation (F1) male mice exposed to prenatal androgens and maternal obesity had significantly impaired reproductive and metabolic function. These traits were transmitted through epigenetic changes in male germ cells to the second (F2) and third (F3) generations.
Specific findings included:
Reproductive effects: Abnormal mitochondrial function in the testes and sperm.
Metabolic abnormalities: Marked increases in fatty liver, enlarged adipose tissue, and disrupted energy metabolism.
These traits were especially pronounced in third-generation offspring from mouse lines exposed to both maternal obesity and androgens.
Significance and clinical implications
The study broadens the understanding of PCOS, showing that its effects may extend beyond women and pose substantial health risks to male offspring. The findings challenge how the disease is classified, suggesting that PCOS should be considered in men's health management rather than viewed only as a women's health issue.
Researchers emphasized the importance of lowering androgen levels during pregnancy and managing weight to reduce risks to offspring. Through weight management and lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet and moderate exercise, women with PCOS may significantly improve symptoms before pregnancy and reduce metabolic and reproductive health risks to their children.
Future outlook
The team hopes to identify epigenetic markers that can screen children of any sex for health risks early, allowing preventive measures before symptoms appear and supporting more targeted treatments.
News | PCOS Affects More Than Women: Assessing Health Risks in Male Offspring
News | PCOS Affects More Than Women: Assessing Health Risks in Male Offspring
A study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden found that male offspring of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may face metabolic and reproductive health risks. The study highlights the long-term effects of PCOS on male offspring and explores the underlying genetic and epigenetic mechanisms.
Prevalence and impact of PCOS
PCOS is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder worldwide, affecting about 15% of women of reproductive age. Diagnostic criteria include polycystic ovarian morphology, infrequent or absent ovulation, and clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism. PCOS not only reduces fertility but is also closely associated with pregnancy complications such as miscarriage, gestational hypertension, and gestational diabetes.
PCOS is also strongly associated with comorbidities including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, endometrial cancer, anxiety, and depression, substantially affecting quality of life.
Background and research question
Previous research has shown that daughters of mothers with PCOS have a fivefold higher risk of developing the condition. Much less is known about its specific effects on male offspring. To address this question, the team used a longitudinal case-control study and mouse models to examine how PCOS and related metabolic characteristics affect metabolic and reproductive health in male offspring and how these effects may pass across generations.
Methods and key findings
Human study: Metabolic risks in male offspring
The case-control study found higher cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in male offspring of mothers with PCOS. A registry-based study also found that sons of mothers with PCOS and obesity during pregnancy had a higher body mass index (BMI), larger waist circumference, and a significantly greater prevalence of overweight or obesity.
Mouse model: Transgenerational mechanisms
Using mouse models, researchers confirmed the effects of PCOS-like traits induced by prenatal androgen exposure or maternal obesity on male offspring and explored transgenerational mechanisms. First-generation (F1) male mice exposed to prenatal androgens and maternal obesity had significantly impaired reproductive and metabolic function. These traits were transmitted through epigenetic changes in male germ cells to the second (F2) and third (F3) generations.
Specific findings included:
Reproductive effects: Abnormal mitochondrial function in the testes and sperm.
Metabolic abnormalities: Marked increases in fatty liver, enlarged adipose tissue, and disrupted energy metabolism.
These traits were especially pronounced in third-generation offspring from mouse lines exposed to both maternal obesity and androgens.
Significance and clinical implications
The study broadens the understanding of PCOS, showing that its effects may extend beyond women and pose substantial health risks to male offspring. The findings challenge how the disease is classified, suggesting that PCOS should be considered in men's health management rather than viewed only as a women's health issue.
Researchers emphasized the importance of lowering androgen levels during pregnancy and managing weight to reduce risks to offspring. Through weight management and lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet and moderate exercise, women with PCOS may significantly improve symptoms before pregnancy and reduce metabolic and reproductive health risks to their children.
Future outlook
The team hopes to identify epigenetic markers that can screen children of any sex for health risks early, allowing preventive measures before symptoms appear and supporting more targeted treatments.
Source:
Collected online