125I-insulin binding to circulating erythrocytes, monocytes and cultured fibroblasts in non-obese patients with polycystic ovarian disease.

The insulin receptor status of circulating erythrocytes, monocytes and cultured fibroblasts were studied in non-obese Indian women with polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) with no clinical evidence of acanthosis nigricans and age, height and weight matched reference subjects. The women with polycystic ovaries had decreased mean maximum specific binding to erythrocytes (PCOD 7.4 +/- 0.6%, normal women 11.5 +/- 0.3%; p less than 0.0001) and monocytes (PCOD 2.4 +/- 0.3%, normal women 4.1 +/- 0.4%; p less than 0.003) when compared to the normal women. This decreased binding was attributed to a change in both receptor number and affinity. 125I-insulin binding to cultured fibroblasts revealed similar mean maximum specific binding and affinity values in both groups studied. Although further work is necessary to exclude genetic or post-receptor defects, it is likely that an environmental factor is implicated in the decreased 125I-insulin binding to erythrocytes and monocytes.