Follicular fluid concentrations of insulin-like growth factor 1, epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor-alpha and sex-steroids in volume matched normal and polycystic human follicles.

Thirty-three samples of follicular fluid (FF) were collected from 14 patients with the polycystic ovary (PCO) syndrome and matched for FF-volume with small follicles collected from subjects with normal ovaries. The median (range) FF concentration of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) in the group with PCO, 0.42 (0.13-1.20) U/ml was significantly higher than that of the controls, 0.33 (0.04-0.59) U/ml. All samples tested had less than 1 ng/ml of FF-epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha). The patients with PCO syndrome (PCOS) had similar FF-testosterone (T) and FF-progesterone (P) concentrations to volume matched controls, but significantly higher levels of FF-androstenedione (AD) and lower FF-oestradiol (E2). These results suggest that the granulosa cells within the polycystic follicle have a functional defect in their aromatase enzyme complex.