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Abstract Background The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with insulin resistance, obesity and cardiometabolic comorbidities. We here challenged the hypothesis, using state-of-the-art proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (1H-NMRS) metabolomics profiling, that androgen excess in women induces a certain masculinization of postprandial metabolism that is modulated by obesity. Materials and methods Participants were 53 Caucasian young adults, including 17 women with classic PCOS consisting of hyperandrogenism and ovulatory dysfunction, 17 non-hyperandrogenic women presenting with regular menses, and 19 healthy men, selected to be similar in terms of age and body mass index (BMI). Half of the subjects had obesity. Patients were submitted to isocaloric separate glucose, lipid and protein oral challenges in alternate days and fasting and postprandial serum samples were submitted to 1H-NMRS metabolomics profiling for quantification of 36 low-molecular-weight polar metabolites. Results The largest postprandial changes were observed after glucose and protein intake, with lipid ingestion inducing smaller differences. Changes after glucose intake consisted of a marked increase in carbohydrates and byproducts of glycolysis, and an overall decrease in byproducts of proteolysis, lipolysis and ketogenesis. After the protein load, most amino acids and derivatives increased markedly, in parallel to an increase in pyruvate and a decrease in 3-hydroxybutyric acid and glycerol. Obesity increased β- and d-glucose and pyruvate levels, with this effect being observed mostly after glucose ingestion in women with PCOS. Regardless of the type of macronutrient, men presented increased lysine and decreased 3-hydroxybutyric acid. In addition, non-obese men showed increased postprandial β-glucose and decreased pyroglutamic acid, compared with non-obese control women. We observed a common pattern of postprandial changes in branched-chain and aromatic amino acids, where men showed greater amino acids increases after protein intake than control women and patients with PCOS but only within the non-obese participants. Conversely, this increase was blunted in obese men but not in obese women, who even presented a larger increase in some amino acids compared with their non-obese counterparts. Interestingly, regardless of the type of macronutrient, only obese women with PCOS showed increased leucine, lysine, phenylalanine and tryptophan levels compared with non-obese patients. Conclusions Serum 1H-NMRS metabolomics profiling indicated sexual dimorphism in the responses to oral macronutrient challenges, which were apparently driven by the central role of postprandial insulin effects with obesity, and to a lesser extent PCOS, exerting modifying roles derived from insulin resistance. Hence, obesity impaired metabolic flexibility in young adults, yet sex and sex hormones also influenced the regulation of postprandial metabolism. Graphical abstract

Abstract Background The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with insulin resistance, obesity and cardiometabolic comorbidities. We here challenged the hypothesis, using state-of-the art proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolomics profiling, that androgen excess in women induces also a certain masculinization of intermediate metabolism that is modulated by obesity. Methods Participants were 53 Caucasian young adults, including 17 women with classic PCOS consisting of hyperandrogenism and ovulatory dysfunction, 17 non-hyperandrogenic women presenting with regular menses, and 19 healthy men, selected in order to be similar in terms of age and body mass index (BMI). Half of the subjects had obesity defined by a body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2. Subjects maintained the same diet unrestricted in carbohydrates for 3 days before sampling and maintained their lifestyle and exercise patterns prior and during the study. Plasma samples were submitted to proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolomics profiling. Results Obesity associated a metabolomics profile mainly characterized by increased branched chain and aromatic aminoacids. Regardless of obesity, this unfavorable profile also characterized men as compared with control women, and was shared by women with PCOS. Notably, the negative impact of obesity on metabolomics profile was restricted to women, with obese men showing no further deterioration when compared with their non-obese counterparts. Conclusions Serum metabolomics profiling by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals sexual dimorphism, and masculinization of intermediate metabolism in women with PCOS, further suggesting a role for sex and sex hormones in the regulation of intermediate metabolism.