Relationship between the characteristic traits of polycystic ovary syndrome and susceptibility genes

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a highly complex disorder influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on Han Chinese, Korean, and European populations identified multiple PCOS-susceptible loci; however, only a few studies reported the association of susceptibility genes with disease phenotypic traits. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between PCOS susceptibility genes from GWAS and disease-related clinical features. A total of 1,810 reproductive-aged women were recruited, including 927 control women and 883 women with PCOS, diagnosed based on the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology criteria. Genomic DNA was extracted and genotyped, and a Bonferroni test was performed to determine the association between 12 independent SNPs and the clinical features of PCOS. In women with PCOS, rs11031006, nearest to FSHB, was significantly associated with free testosterone (P = 1.94 × 10(−3)) and luteinizing hormone (P = 1.96 × 10(−3)) levels. The menstruation number per year, ovarian follicular number, ovarian volume, and insulin sensitivity index were not associated with any SNP. In the control group, no SNPs were associated with any PCOS traits. Collectively, our results suggest that FSHB may play an important role in the development and progression of PCOS.