Advances in PCOS Research
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2025
Special Issue Editor
Interests: esr2 regulates; epigenetic and transcriptional regulation; ovary; primordial follicle activation; follicle development and oocyte maturation; kisspeptin signaling
Special Issue Information
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder that affects one in ten women of reproductive age. Drs. Stein and Leventhal first characterized PCOS in 1935 based on hirsutism, obesity, amenorrhea, and bilateral polycystic ovary. However, PCOS is a heterogeneous condition, and nearly 70% of cases may remain undiagnosed. The diagnosis of PCOS relies on consensus-based diagnostic criteria. The international evidence-based guidelines endorse the Rotterdam criteria and provide specific definitions of each component. Common features of PCOS include irregular menstrual cycles, hirsutism, acne, hair loss, subfertility, and psychiatric manifestations. Remarkably, PCOS is more than an endocrine disorder; many patients present with diverse metabolic disorders, including obesity, dyslipidemia, dysglycemia, hypertension, or hepatic steatosis. Women with PCOS face a 2-to-5-fold increased risk of developing other endocrine or metabolic diseases. Hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, and low-grade inflammation are the known drivers of PCOS, but the exact pathogenesis is still unclear.
Among the key pathogenic mechanisms, insulin resistance plays a central role in the development and progression of PCOS and is closely linked to the onset of NAFLD. Other contributing factors include hyperandrogenism, chronic low-grade inflammation, and both genetic and environmental influences. Yet, it remains unresolved whether PCOS originates as a primary ovarian dysfunction or as a systemic endocrine–metabolic disturbance that secondarily affects ovarian physiology. To answer these questions, researchers are invited to submit their studies of this multifactorial multisystem disorder. This Special Issue also welcomes selected review articles focusing on the molecular pathobiology of PCOS.
Dr. M. A. Karim Rumi
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- PCOS
- endocrine disorders
- insulin resistance
- NAFLD
- cardiometabolic diseases
- molecular mechanisms
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