Leptin, polycystic ovaries and polycystic ovary syndrome

Department of Endocrinology, UCL Medical School, The Middlesex Hospital, Mortimer Street, London W1N 8AA, UKAs soon as leptin was discovered four years ago, its potential as a player in the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) wasexplored in a primitive way, though little light was shed on the enigma that is PCOS. As a second wave of leptin research isnow available, we review how the expanded role of the cytokine in reproduction might yet impact upon our understand-ing of PCOSKey words: insulin resistance/leptin/polycystic ovary syndrome/obesityTABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction 166Polycystic ovaries, polycystic ovary syndrome and insulin resistance 166Leptin–NPY axis: implications for reproductive disturbances 167Leptin secretion in women with PCOS 168References 170