Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a leading cause of female infertility, affecting more than 10 million women worldwide. It is associated with abnormal levels of hormones such as androgens.

New research led by Dr. Benjamin Tsang shows for the first time that PCOS may be associated with problems with how cells in the ovary recycle their androgen-sensing receptors. Old receptors are regularly degraded and replaced with new ones, but in a rat model of PCOS, the androgen receptor is degraded faster than it should be. This results in low androgen receptor levels and contributes to problems with egg production.

This research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, opens up a new avenue of research that could lead to new approaches to treat PCOS.

The article is titled, "Regulation of androgen receptor signaling by ubiquitination during folliculogenesis and its possible dysregulation in polycystic ovarian syndrome."