Testosterone treatment increases androgen receptor and aromatase gene expression in myotubes from patients with PCOS and controls, but does not induce insulin resistance

Mette Brandt Eriksen, Dorte Glintborg, Michael Friberg Bruun Nielsen, Marianne Antonius Jakobsen, Klaus Brusgaard, Qihua Tan, Michael Gaster

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with insulin resistance and increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Skeletal muscle is the major site of insulin mediated glucose disposal and the skeletal muscle tissue is capable to synthesize, convert and degrade androgens. Insulin sensitivity is conserved in cultured myotubes (in vitro) from patients with PCOS, but the effect of testosterone on this insulin sensitivity is unknown. We investigated the effect of 7 days testosterone treatment (100 nmol/l) on glucose transport and gene expression levels of hormone receptors and enzymes involved in the synthesis and conversion of testosterone (HSD17B1, HSD17B2, CYP19A1, SRD5A1-2, AR, ER-α, HSD17B6 and AKR1-3) in myotubes from ten patients with PCOS and ten matched controls. Testosterone treatment significantly increased aromatase and androgen receptor gene expression levels in patients and controls. Glucose transport in myotubes was comparable in patients with PCOS vs. controls and was unchanged by testosterone treatment (p = 0.21 PCOS vs. controls). These results suggest that testosterone treatment of myotubes increases the aromatase and androgen receptor gene expression without affecting insulin sensitivity and if testosterone is implicated in muscular insulin resistance in PCOS, this is by and indirect mechanism.

Original languageEnglish
JournalBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Volume451
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)622-626
ISSN0006-291X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2014

Keywords

  • Glucose transport
  • Insulin resistance
  • Myotubes
  • PCOS
  • Steroid hormone synthesis

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