Definition of an Immunophenotypic Profile in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Using Flow Cytometry for the Investigation of Diagnostic Markers
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; Flow Cytometry; Inflammation; Biomarkers; T-Lymphocyte Subsets.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder with an
estimated prevalence ranging from 9% to 18% in the reproductive-age female
population, establishing itself as the primary hormonal gynecological dysfunction.
Characterized as one of the most frequent endocrine-gynecological disorders, the
syndrome exhibits a close correlation with various metabolic comorbidities, including
arterial hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance. Scientific
evidence demonstrates that the pathogenesis of PCOS involves a state of chronic
low-grade systemic inflammation, manifested by elevated serum levels of
inflammatory cytokines and repercussions on peripheral lymphocyte function. The
systemic impacts of this inflammation, resulting from the dysregulation of lymphocyte
subpopulations, occur independently of body mass index (BMI), affecting both
eutrophic women and those with overweight or obesity. The identification of
prognostic biomarkers is fundamental for understanding the pathophysiology of
chronic inflammation, as well as for monitoring the therapeutic response of the
syndrome. Preliminary results of this study evidence significant immunological and
inflammatory alterations in the PCOS group compared to the control group. A
significant increase was observed in T-lymphocyte subpopulations and the
expression of cellular activation markers, suggesting a robust immune response.
Specifically, elevations were verified in CD3/CD4 (p=0,031), 54,4% de CD8
(p=0,028), 92,8% de CD38 (p=0,009) e 81,4% and HLA-DR+ (p=0,012). Furthermore,
the systemic inflammatory profile corroborated a state of immune exacerbation. The
Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) showed a 33.3% increase (p=0,042) while the
Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII) recorded a rise of 41.3% (p=0,0,38).