Ethinylestradiol in combined hormonal contraceptive has a broader effect on serum proteome compared with estradiol valerate: a randomized controlled trial

AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONDoes an estradiol-based combined oral contraceptive (COC) have a milder effect on the serum proteome than an ethinylestradiol (EE)-based COC or dienogest (DNG) only?SUMMARY ANSWERThe changes in serum proteome were multifold after the use of a synthetic EE-based COC compared to natural estrogen COC or progestin-only preparation.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYEE-based COCs widely affect metabolism, inflammation, hepatic protein synthesis and blood coagulation. Studies comparing serum proteomes after the use of COCs containing EE and natural estrogens are lacking.STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATIONThis was a spin-off from a randomized, controlled, two-center clinical trial. Women (n  = 59) were randomized to use either EE + DNG, estradiol valerate (EV) + DNG or DNG only continuously for 9 weeks.PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODSParticipants were healthy, young, white volunteer women. Serum samples were collected before and after 9  weeks of hormonal exposure. Samples from 44 women were available for analysis (EE + DNG n = 14, EV + DNG n = 16 and DNG only n = 14). Serum proteins were analyzed by quantitative, discovery-type label-free proteomics.MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCEAltogether, 446 proteins/protein families with two or more unique peptides were detected and quantified. The number of proteins/families that altered over the 9-week period within the study groups was 121 for EE + DNG and 5 for EV + DNG, while no changes were detected for D...
Source: Human Reproduction - Category: Reproduction Medicine Source Type: research