Diagnosis and Treatment > Investigation > AMH

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S Vimalesvaran Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Imperial College London, UK

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S Narayanaswamy Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Imperial College London, UK

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L Yang Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Imperial College London, UK

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J K Prague Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Imperial College London, UK

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A Buckley Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Imperial College London, UK

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A D Miras Department of Diabetes & Endocrinology, Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK

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S Franks Department of Diabetes & Endocrinology, Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK

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K Meeran Department of Diabetes & Endocrinology, Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK

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W S Dhillo Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Imperial College London, UK

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Summary

Primary amenorrhoea is defined as the failure to commence menstruation by the age of 15 years, in the presence of normal secondary sexual development. The potential causes of primary amenorrhoea extend from structural to chromosomal abnormalities. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common cause of secondary amenorrhoea but an uncommon cause of primary amenorrhoea. An early and prompt diagnosis of PCOS is important, as up to 30% of these women are predisposed to glucose intolerance and obesity, with the subgroup of women presenting with primary amenorrhoea and PCOS displaying a higher incidence of metabolic dysfunction. We describe a case of an 18-year-old female presenting with primary amenorrhoea of unknown aetiology. Although initial investigations did not demonstrate clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism or any radiological evidence of polycystic ovaries, a raised luteinising hormone (LH) suggested a diagnosis of PCOS. If PCOS was the correct diagnosis, then one would expect intact hypothalamic GnRH and pituitary gonadotropin release. We used the novel hormone kisspeptin to confirm intact hypothalamic GnRH release and a GnRH stimulation test to confirm intact pituitary gonadotroph function. This case highlights that kisspeptin is a potential unique tool to test GnRH function in patients presenting with reproductive disorders.

Learning points:

  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) can present with primary amenorrhoea, and therefore, should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

  • PCOS is a heterogeneous condition that may present in lean women with few or absent signs of hyperandrogenism.

  • GnRH stimulation tests are useful in evaluating pituitary function; however, to date, we do not have a viable test of GnRH function. Kisspeptin has the potential to form a novel diagnostic tool for assessing hypothalamic GnRH function by monitoring gonadotropin response as a surrogate marker of GnRH release.

  • Confirmation of intact GnRH function helps consolidate a diagnosis in primary amenorrhoea and gives an indication of future fertility.

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Anil Piya Laboratory of Biochemistry, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, Georgia, USA
Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Memorial University Medical Center, Savannah, Georgia, USA

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Jasmeet Kaur Laboratory of Biochemistry, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, Georgia, USA
Anderson Cancer Institute, Memorial University Medical Center, Savannah, Georgia, USA

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Alan M Rice Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Memorial University Medical Center, Savannah, Georgia, USA
Augusta University School of Medicine, Augusta, Georgia, USA

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Himangshu S Bose Laboratory of Biochemistry, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, Georgia, USA
Anderson Cancer Institute, Memorial University Medical Center, Savannah, Georgia, USA

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Summary

Cholesterol transport into the mitochondria is required for synthesis of the first steroid, pregnenolone. Cholesterol is transported by the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR), which acts at the outer mitochondrial membrane prior to its import. Mutations in the STAR protein result in lipoid congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Although the STAR protein consists of seven exons, biochemical analysis in nonsteroidogenic COS-1 cells showed that the first two were not essential for pregnenolone synthesis. Here, we present a patient with ambiguous genitalia, salt-lossing crisis within two weeks after birth and low cortisol levels. Sequence analysis of the STAR, including the exon–intron boundaries, showed the complete deletion of exon 1 as well as more than 50 nucleotides upstream of STAR promoter. Mitochondrial protein import with the translated protein through synthesis cassette of the mutant STAR lacking exon 1 showed protein translation, but it is less likely to have synthesized without a promoter in our patient. Thus, a full-length STAR gene is necessary for physiological mitochondrial cholesterol transport in vivo.

Learning points:

  • STAR exon 1 deletion caused lipoid CAH.

  • Exon 1 substitution does not affect biochemical activity.

  • StAR promoter is responsible for gonadal development.

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