Recombinant luteinizing hormone induces increased production of ovarian follicular adiponectin in vivo: implications for enhanced insulin sensitivity

Objective: To determine in vivo whether LH supplementation during the late follicular phase induces increased production of ovarian follicle adiponectin in humans. Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Setting: Academic tertiary care medical center. Patient(s): Twenty infertile, healthy women (aged 18-39 years) undergoing IVF. Intervention(s): Administration of recombinant FSH after down-regulation and equal randomization of subjects to receive recombinant LH 75 IU/day or placebo when two or more follicles reached a mean diameter of 14 mm. Main Outcome Measure(s): Follicular fluid (FF) adiponectin levels were measured. Result(s): Adiponectin FF levels were significantly higher in the recombinant LH group compared with the placebo group, and these differences were unaltered after correction to estrogen (E) levels and number of follicles in each cycle. Conclusion(s): This is the first demonstration of in vivo induction of adiponectin by gonadotropins in the human ovary. The addition of recombinant LH during the late follicular phase may enhance follicular insulin sensitivity, resulting in decreased androgen levels through a cascade mediated by increased production of adiponectin.