Expression of genes controlling inflammation pathways are higher in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who have taken the contraceptive pill, than in those who haven't.
Researchers based in India looked at the mRNA expression of a number of genes associated with inflammation and coagulation in a cohort of 50 women with PCOS. They found that three genes involved in inflammation pathways were expressed around twice as much in women who had been treated with the contraceptive pill than those who had never taken the pill, which is often prescribed to regulate menstrual cycles in women with the condition.
Authors proposed that increased expression of these genes could worsen metabolic symptoms of PCOS, including obesity and insulin resistance, in their paper published in BMC Women's Health.
