ArticleReproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E2021
Metformin reduces androgen receptor and upregulates homeobox A10 expression in uterine endometrium in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
Article in Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 32 citations in OpenAlex.
- Influence of metformin on hyperandrogenism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.European journal of clinical pharmacology · 2023Pooled it
- Effect of Metformin on Testosterone Levels in Male Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Treated With Insulin.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2021Trial
- Atractylenolide III improves ovarian dysfunction and endometrial receptivity in a PCOS rat model by regulating Cybb-mediated oxidative stress.Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology · 2026Article
- Metformin in skin diseases: the role of gut microbiota and immune response.Pharmacological reports : PR · 2026Review
- Hyperandrogenemia Induces Trophoblast Ferroptosis and Early Pregnancy Loss in Patients With PCOS via CMA-Dependent FTH1 Degradation.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
- Sustained Metabolic Improvements with Low-Dose Metformin Combined with Oral Contraceptives in Female Adolescents with PCOS: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study.Advances in therapy · 2025Article
- Single-cell profiling of the human endometrium in polycystic ovary syndrome.Nature medicine · 2025Article
- Metformin in polycystic ovary syndrome: unraveling multi-stage therapeutic mechanisms from puberty to long-term health outcomes.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Review
- Insulin-sensitizing agents for infertility treatment in woman with polycystic ovary syndrome: a narrative review of current clinical practice.Hormones (Athens, Greece) · 2024Review
- Article
- Follicular development and endometrial receptivity of different androgen phenotypes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2024Article
- Metformin: A Potential Treatment for Acne, Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Rosacea.Acta dermato-venereologica · 2023Review
- Are steroid hormones and autistic traits affected by metformin? First insights from a pilot.Comprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology · 2023Article
- Kelulut Honey Regulates Sex Steroid Receptors in a Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Rat Model.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Article
- The effect of metformin on low birth weight girls with precocious puberty: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.Medicine · 2022Article
- The Role of mTOR and eIF Signaling in Benign Endometrial Diseases.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Review
- Integrated or Independent Actions of Metformin in Target Tissues Underlying Its Current Use and New Possible Applications in the Endocrine and Metabolic Disorder Area.International journal of molecular sciences · 2021Review
- Research Progress on the Mechanism Between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Abnormal Endometrium.Frontiers in physiology · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) causes anovulation and is associated with a reduced clinical pregnancy rate. Metformin, which is widely used for treating PCOS, can lead to successful pregnancy by restoring the ovulation cycle and possibly improving endometrial abnormality during the implantation period. However, the mechanism by which metformin improves endometrial abnormality remains unknown. Women with PCOS have an aberrant expression of steroid hormone receptors and homeobox A10 (HOXA10), which is essential for embryo implantation in the endometrium.
methodsIn this study, we examined whether metformin affects androgen receptor (AR) and HOXA10 expression in PCOS endometrium in vivo and in human endometrial cell lines in vitro. Expression of AR and HOXA10 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, fluorescent immunocytochemistry, and western blot analysis.
resultsAR expression was localized in both epithelial and stromal cells; however, HOXA10 expression was limited to only stromal cells in this study. In women with PCOS, 3 months after metformin treatment, the expression of AR was reduced in epithelial and stromal cells in comparison to their levels before treatment. In contrast, HOXA10 expression in the stromal cells with metformin treatment increased in comparison to its level before treatment. Further, we showed that metformin counteracted the testosterone-induced AR expression in both Ishikawa cells and human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs); whereas, metformin partly restored the testosterone-reduced HOXA10 expression in HESCs in vitro.
conclusionsOur results suggest that metformin may have a direct effect on the abnormal endometrial environment of androgen excess in women with PCOS.
trial registrationThe study was approved by the Ethical Committee of Fukushima Medical University (approval no. 504, approval date. July 6, 2006), and written informed consent was obtained from all patients. https://www.fmu.ac.jp/univ/sangaku/rinri.html.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.