Androgens and adipose tissue
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Effects of androgens on human adipose tissue
IRAS ID
87115
Contact name
Stephen Franks
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Research summary
Lay Summary of Results
Women with the very common hormonal disorder of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have an increased tendency to gain weight. Disturbances in the function of adipose (fat) tissue are characteristic of women with PCOS and we postulated that the higher than normal levels of androgens (male hormone) were linked to abnormal fat function. The aim of the study was to examine the differences in function between fat tissue taken (at routine abdominal surgery) from women with PCOS and from a reference population, and to compare the appearance and the biochemical make-up of the fat tissue between the groups. We also looked at the direct effects of androgens on fat tissue in the lab. We found that there were, indeed, differences in the way that fat cells behaved and that some of these changes could be reproduced by treating fat tissue from normal subjects with androgens. In particular, we found that androgens had an important effect on so-called brown fat. Brown fat is linked to energy balance and the negative effect of androgens on brown fat metabolism provides an insight into why women with PCOS are more likely to gain weight than those without.
REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/0679
Date of REC Opinion
3 Jun 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion