Follicular fluid from women with polycystic ovary syndrome induces granulosa cells metabolic dysfunction that is exacerbated by obesity

2026
journal article
article
2
dc.abstract.enBackground: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by altered follicular development and metabolic dysfunction, frequently exacerbated by obesity. The follicular fluid (FF) microenvironment plays a critical role in supporting oocyte maturation and granulosa cell function; however, the extent to which FF from women with PCOS and obesity is associated with alterations in granulosa cell metabolism remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate how does the FF from women with PCOS and/or obesity shapes granulosa cell glycolytic and mitochondrial activity. Results: FF from women with PCOS showed significantly increased concentrations of total testosterone and $\Delta4$-androstenedione compared with controls, irrespective of BMI (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). Exposure of human granulosa cell line (HGrC1) to FF from women with PCOS and obesity was associated with a marked reduction in glycolytic capacity (p < 0.05) and decreased mRNA expression of key glycolytic regulators, including GLUT1, HK2 and LDHA (p < 0.05). Mitochondrial function was also altered, as evidenced by reduced maximal respiration and mitochondrial membrane potential (p < 0.05), while reactive oxygen species levels remained unchanged. Metabolomic profiling revealed elevated glucose concentrations in FF from women with PCOS and obesity compared with normal-weight controls, consistent with potential alterations in glucose metabolism within the follicular environment. Conclusion: Granulosa cells depict metabolic dysregulation, with reduced glycolytic activity and impaired mitochondrial function, when exposed to FF from women with PCOS, which is further exacerbated in the presence of obesity. These findings from a pilot hypothesis-generating study suggest that the intrafollicular environment may be associated with granulosa cell metabolic disturbances, which warrant mechanistic studies to establish causality and elucidate the downstream consequences for follicular maturation and ovulatory function.
dc.affiliationWydział Biologii : Instytut Zoologii i Badań Biomedycznych
dc.contributor.authorMoreira, Mafalda V.
dc.contributor.authorGuerra-Carvalho, Bárbara
dc.contributor.authorCarrageta, David F.
dc.contributor.authorSousa, Daniela
dc.contributor.authorBrandão, Raquel
dc.contributor.authorLeal, Carla
dc.contributor.authorVale-Fernandes, Emídio
dc.contributor.authorPtak, Anna - 131580
dc.contributor.authorPignatelli, Duarte
dc.contributor.authorBernardino, Raquel L.
dc.contributor.authorMonteiro, Mariana P.
dc.date.accessioned2026-03-27T09:41:15Z
dc.date.available2026-03-27T09:41:15Z
dc.date.createdat2026-03-02T23:30:51Zen
dc.date.issued2026
dc.date.openaccess0
dc.description.accesstimew momencie opublikowania
dc.description.versionostateczna wersja wydawcy
dc.description.volume17
dc.identifier.articleid1783780
dc.identifier.doi10.3389/fendo.2026.1783780
dc.identifier.eissn1664-2392
dc.identifier.projectDRC AI
dc.identifier.urihttps://ruj.uj.edu.pl/handle/item/572386
dc.languageeng
dc.language.containereng
dc.relation.fundingFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
dc.rightsUdzielam licencji. Uznanie autorstwa 4.0 Międzynarodowa
dc.rights.licenceCC-BY
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.pl
dc.share.typeotwarte czasopismo
dc.sourceCrossRef
dc.source.integratortrue
dc.subject.enfollicular fluid
dc.subject.englycolysis
dc.subject.engranulosa cells
dc.subject.enmetabolism
dc.subject.enmitochondria
dc.subject.enobesity
dc.subject.enPCOS
dc.subtypeArticle
dc.titleFollicular fluid from women with polycystic ovary syndrome induces granulosa cells metabolic dysfunction that is exacerbated by obesity
dc.title.journalFrontiers in Endocrinology
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typePublicationen
dc.abstract.en
Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by altered follicular development and metabolic dysfunction, frequently exacerbated by obesity. The follicular fluid (FF) microenvironment plays a critical role in supporting oocyte maturation and granulosa cell function; however, the extent to which FF from women with PCOS and obesity is associated with alterations in granulosa cell metabolism remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate how does the FF from women with PCOS and/or obesity shapes granulosa cell glycolytic and mitochondrial activity. Results: FF from women with PCOS showed significantly increased concentrations of total testosterone and $\Delta4$-androstenedione compared with controls, irrespective of BMI (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). Exposure of human granulosa cell line (HGrC1) to FF from women with PCOS and obesity was associated with a marked reduction in glycolytic capacity (p < 0.05) and decreased mRNA expression of key glycolytic regulators, including GLUT1, HK2 and LDHA (p < 0.05). Mitochondrial function was also altered, as evidenced by reduced maximal respiration and mitochondrial membrane potential (p < 0.05), while reactive oxygen species levels remained unchanged. Metabolomic profiling revealed elevated glucose concentrations in FF from women with PCOS and obesity compared with normal-weight controls, consistent with potential alterations in glucose metabolism within the follicular environment. Conclusion: Granulosa cells depict metabolic dysregulation, with reduced glycolytic activity and impaired mitochondrial function, when exposed to FF from women with PCOS, which is further exacerbated in the presence of obesity. These findings from a pilot hypothesis-generating study suggest that the intrafollicular environment may be associated with granulosa cell metabolic disturbances, which warrant mechanistic studies to establish causality and elucidate the downstream consequences for follicular maturation and ovulatory function.
dc.affiliation
Wydział Biologii : Instytut Zoologii i Badań Biomedycznych
dc.contributor.author
Moreira, Mafalda V.
dc.contributor.author
Guerra-Carvalho, Bárbara
dc.contributor.author
Carrageta, David F.
dc.contributor.author
Sousa, Daniela
dc.contributor.author
Brandão, Raquel
dc.contributor.author
Leal, Carla
dc.contributor.author
Vale-Fernandes, Emídio
dc.contributor.author
Ptak, Anna - 131580
dc.contributor.author
Pignatelli, Duarte
dc.contributor.author
Bernardino, Raquel L.
dc.contributor.author
Monteiro, Mariana P.
dc.date.accessioned
2026-03-27T09:41:15Z
dc.date.available
2026-03-27T09:41:15Z
dc.date.createdaten
2026-03-02T23:30:51Z
dc.date.issued
2026
dc.date.openaccess
0
dc.description.accesstime
w momencie opublikowania
dc.description.version
ostateczna wersja wydawcy
dc.description.volume
17
dc.identifier.articleid
1783780
dc.identifier.doi
10.3389/fendo.2026.1783780
dc.identifier.eissn
1664-2392
dc.identifier.project
DRC AI
dc.identifier.uri
https://ruj.uj.edu.pl/handle/item/572386
dc.language
eng
dc.language.container
eng
dc.relation.funding
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
dc.rights
Udzielam licencji. Uznanie autorstwa 4.0 Międzynarodowa
dc.rights.licence
CC-BY
dc.rights.uri
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.pl
dc.share.type
otwarte czasopismo
dc.source
CrossRef
dc.source.integrator
true
dc.subject.en
follicular fluid
dc.subject.en
glycolysis
dc.subject.en
granulosa cells
dc.subject.en
metabolism
dc.subject.en
mitochondria
dc.subject.en
obesity
dc.subject.en
PCOS
dc.subtype
Article
dc.title
Follicular fluid from women with polycystic ovary syndrome induces granulosa cells metabolic dysfunction that is exacerbated by obesity
dc.title.journal
Frontiers in Endocrinology
dc.type
JournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeen
Publication
Affiliations

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