Non-cell Autonomous Mechanisms Control Mitochondrial Gene Dysregulation in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

The aim of this study was to gain further insight into the mechanisms leading to metabolic dysfunction in skeletal muscle in PCOS, and to determine whether primary myotubes retain the gene expression signature of PCOS in vivo. We investigated the transcriptomic profile of skeletal muscle tissue and primary myotube cultures from insulin resistant women with PCOS compared to healthy controls. We collected skeletal muscle biopsies (vastus lateralis) from 8 overweight insulin resistant PCOS women (PCOS) and 7 healthy lean control women (CTRL), all aged between 18-40 years old. Primary myotube cultures were established from skeletal muscle biopsies obtained from five of these women with PCOS and six control women. RNA-seq analysis was performed with both skeletal muscle and primary myotubes from both groups.