PHYSIOLOGY AND ENDOCRINOLOGY SYMPOSIUM: Insulin action and lipotoxicity in the development of polycystic ovary syndrome: A review.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition affecting women of reproductive age. This disorder is characterized by hyperandrogenism and anovulation and is frequently associated with comorbidities such as infertility, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular risk factors. Although the causes of PCOS are unknown, this review focuses on the most accepted theory involving insulin action but will also elaborate on a novel concept: the role of lipotoxicity in the development of androgen overproduction, in addition to its known role in insulin resistance. This review will also shed a spotlight on 2 drugs that target lipotoxicity and are, therefore, known or promising for the treatment of PCOS manifestations: peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and angiotensin II type 2 receptor agonists. This paper, therefore, emphasizes the need to further explore the pathophysiology of PCOS and particularly the role of lipotoxicity. Indeed, this new mechanism deserves attention to develop therapeutic approaches that will directly target the root of this condition and not only bandage its associated consequences.