Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder that affects approximately one in 15 females worldwide. A functional polymorphism of the 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD11B1) gene has been demonstrated to have a relationship with obesity and PCOS. IL-6 is a proinflammatory cytokine that has been shown to be associated with hyperandrogenism and PCOS. The aim of this work is to evaluate the association of the HSD11B1rs12086634(T/G) gene polymorphism and serum IL6 level with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The 160 individuals involved in this study were divided into 2 groups: 80 patients with PCOS (group I) and 80 healthy subjects as controls (group II). In this study, serum IL6 was measured by ELISA, and the HSD11B1rs12086634(T/G) polymorphism was analyzed using a TaqMan allelic discrimination assay technique. There were statistically significant differences between the two studied groups concerning the serum IL-6 level and HSD11B1rs12086634(T/G) genotype distribution, with increased serum IL6 and increased frequencies of the GG and TG genotypes in patients with PCO. The GG genotype of HSD11B1 rs12086634(T/G) and its associated high level of serum IL-6 may represent genetic risk factors for PCOS.