The College of Pharmacy discussed the MSc thesis entitled “Assessment of Renin-Angiotensin System and Pro Inflammatory Cytokines (Interleukin-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha) in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Patients” by the student Alameen Jamal Ahmed and the supervisor, Lecturer Dr. Seenaa Sadiq Amin, at the Clinical Chemistry Department.
The study aimed to compare the levels of renin, angiotensin II, angiotensin (1–7), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the blood between women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and healthy controls. Also ,it investigated the relationship between components of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) and inflammatory markers on one hand, and key reproductive hormones including anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and total testosterone on the other.
The study a case–control design and included 90 women aged 18–40 years: 45 newly diagnosed with PCOS according to the Rotterdam criteria and 45 healthy women as a control group. Anthropometric measurements, metabolic parameters, and reproductive hormones were assessed. Serum levels of renin, angiotensin II, angiotensin (1–7), IL-6, and TNF-α were measured. Statistical analyses were performed using Student’s t-test or Mann–Whitney test, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) after adjustment for body mass index (BMI), Kruskal–Wallis’s test, Spearman correlation, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and regression models.
The results showed that women with PCOS had significantly higher body mass index, waist circumference, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), LH/FSH ratio, total testosterone, and AMH levels. Inflammatory markers IL-6 and TNF-α were also elevated, while angiotensin (1–7) levels were decreased. After adjustment for BMI, TNF-α lost its statistical significance. Angiotensin II levels were higher in women older than 25 years, while renin levels increased with higher BMI. AMH demonstrated the best diagnostic performance for distinguishing cases from controls. Additionally, AMH, TNF-α, and the LH/FSH ratio were identified as independent predictors of PCOS.
The study recommended that well-designed future research should focus on investigating the relationship between RAS and inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α in PCOS. This includes evaluating the levels of angiotensin-converting enzymes (ACEs) and, where possible, assessing local RAS peptides in the ovary to better understand their roles.
