Study on Levels of Short Chain Fatty Acids in Follicular Fluid of Obese Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Compared with Normal-Weights

Abstract

Background: In the present study, the levels of three short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) including acetate, propionate, and butyrate were investigated in the follicular fluid of obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in comparison with PCOS women with normal-weight.

Methods: Fifteen women with PCOS diagnosed according to the Rotterdam criteria that were obese (BMI ≤30 kg/m2) and 15 women with normal-weight (Body mass index [BMI] = 18.5-24.9 kg/m2) were matched for age and dietary intake and entered the study. Follicular fluid samples were collected after ovarian stimulation and the levels of acetate, propionate, and butyrate were measured by GC/MS after esterification.

Results: The mean BMI in the obese group was 33.4 ± 0.7 and in the normal group were 23.3 ± 0.4 kg/m2. PCOS women with normal BMI had higher concentrations of acetate and butyrate in the follicular fluid compared to the normal-weight (p= 0.01). Higher age and BMI were associated with higher concentrations of propionate in follicular fluid (p= 0.003 and p= 0.01, respectively).

Conclusion: The concentrations of SCFAs in women with PCOS are affected by BMI. However, there is a need to conduct a study in healthy (non-patient) women to reach a concise result. One of the hypotheses could be due to changes in the follicular fluid microbiome and consequently changes in the metabolic status of these individuals. There is a need for further studies in this area to obtain more accurate results.