IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL LOCALIZATION OF RENIN AND ANGIOTENSIN IN THE OVARY - COMPARISON BETWEEN NORMAL WOMEN AND PATIENTS WITH HISTOLOGICALLY PROVEN POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN DISEASE

Objective: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the ovarian renin-angiotensin system may play a role in polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD). Design: The immunohistochemical distribution of renin and angiotensin in ovaries from seven women with histologic diagnosis of PCOD was compared with that of normal ovaries. Results: The large cystic follicles of polycystic ovaries (PCO) presented intense immunostaining for renin and angiotensin in both theca and granulosa cells (GCs). In developing follicles of normal ovaries, the immunostaining was restricted to the theca cell layer, with the exception of the immediately preovulatory follicles which displayed intense positivity of granulosa as well as theca cells. Atretic follicles of normal ovaries showed staining of both theca and GCs. In both normal and PCO, patches of hilus cells were intensely stained. Luteal cells also consistently stained both in normal ovaries and in the occasional corpus luteum present in polycystic ovaries. Conclusions: This study highlights the link between the ovarian renin-angiotensin system and those ovarian compartments known to be actively engaged in androgen secretion and/or luteinization and suggests that there may be an association between the ovarian renin-angiotensin system and PCOD.