Overweight and obesity in polycystic ovary syndrome: association with inflammation, oxidative stress and dyslipidaemia

Abstract Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with altered lipid profile and increased small, dense LDL particles (sdLDL). Considering that paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is an antioxidative enzyme located on HDL particles, the aim of this study was to investigate the connection between oxidative stress (OS) and PON1 activity with lipoprotein subclasses in PCOS depending on obesity. In 115 PCOS patients, lipoprotein subclasses distributions were determined by gradient gel electrophoresis. OS status was assessed by total oxidative status (TOS), advanced oxidation protein products, malondialdehyde (MDA), prooxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB), total antioxidative status (TAS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and PON1 activity. Overweight/obese PCOS patients ( n 55) had increased OS compared with normal weight patients ( n 60). In addition, overweight/obese group had lower HDL size and higher proportion of HDL 3a subclasses ( P < 0·05). PAB was in negative correlation with HDL 2a ( P < 0·001), whereas MDA and SOD correlated positively with HDL 3 subclasses ( P < 0·05). Serum PON1 activity was positively associated with proportions of PON1 activity on HDL 2b ( P < 0·05) and 2a ( P < 0·01), but negatively with the proportion on HDL 3 particles ( P < 0·01). LDL B phenotype patients had increased TAS, SOD and PON1 activity on HDL 2b, but decreased PON1 activity on HDL 3 subclasses. OS is associated with altered lipoprotein subclasses distribution in PCOS patients. Obesity in PCOS affects the profile of HDL subclasses, reflected through the reduced proportion of PON1 activity on HDL 3 subclasses in the presence of sdLDL particles.