The aim of this study was to quantify the sulfated glycosaminoglycans in the endometria of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Of the 18 patients recruited for this study, 10 patients with PCOS comprised the PCOS group (PCOSG), and eight patients with regular and ovulatory menstrual cycles comprised the control group (CG). The clinical, biochemical, morphological and endometrial data from both groups were analyzed. Biopsies were performed during the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle for the CG and during the persistent proliferative phase for the PCOSG (all women were amenorrheic). In the PCOSG, there was a significant increase in the endometrial concentration levels of heparan sulfate (p = 0.03), but no difference in the concentrations of chondroitin sulfate was determined between the two groups (p = 0.77). Period of time without menstruation (p = 0.001) and body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.04) correlated directly and positively with heparan sulfate concentration. There was no association between heparan sulfate levels and basal insulin values (p = 0.08). High levels of endometrial heparan sulfate in women with PCOS indicate an interference with maternal-fetal recognition, which contributes to infertility; thus, endometrial heparan sulfate may be a predictive marker of future neoplasia risk.
Keywords: Endometrium; glycosaminoglycans; heparan sulfate; infertility; polycystic ovary syndrome.