Phosphatidylinositide-3 kinase: a newer molecular target in metabolic and hormonal pathway of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is characterized by hyperandrogenemia, hyperinsulinemia and/or abnormal ovulation, which are the 3 main consequences of polycystic ovary syndrome. The occurrence of polycystic ovary syndrome is higher and 1 out of 45 women gets affected by this disorder. The pathophysiology of polycystic ovary syndrome is very unique, and many hormonal and metabolic changes occur at molecular level. Polycystic ovary syndrome is a hormonal disorder that affects multiple organ systems within the body, which is caused by insensitivity to the hormone insulin. The target organs of insulin action are skeletal muscles, adipose tissue, fibroblasts where metabolic actions of insulin take place. In polycystic ovary syndrome condition, due to insulin resistance, the actions like glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis gets declined along with exhibiting steroidogenic effect in ovaries. The action of phophatidylinositide-3 kinase varies in different tissues. It plays major role in several kinases. The inhibition and activation of phophatidylinositide-3 kinase in different tissues results in differential outcomes. The inhibition of phophatidylinositide-3 kinase in ovary leads to decreased androgen synthesis and the activation affects the positive actions of insulin like glucose uptake. Targeting the hyperandrogenemia of polycystic ovary syndrome, we can get more ameliorating action in polycystic ovary syndrome because glucose uptake, which is mediated by phophatidylinositide-3 kinase activation, is not much altered during polycystic ovary syndrome as much as the androgen levels in polycystic ovary syndrome. Therefore, it is beneficial to control the androgen level. Thus, phophatidylinositide-3 kinase inhibition can be a promising target in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome. © J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.