Paper Review

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) impacts 11-13% of women during their reproductive years. It's known for causing infertility and is linked to serious health issues, including a higher risk of endometrial cancer. A recent study titled "Single-cell profiling of the human endometrium in polycystic ovary syndrome," published in Nature Medicine, reveals that the uterine lining in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) exhibits differences in both cell composition and gene expression. The results open the door to new drug treatment.

By studying endometrial tissue samples from five healthy women and 12 women with PCOS, the researchers created a cell map of individual cells.  It analyzed 247,791 nuclei from 27 biopsies, finding PCOS changes the mix of cell types, with more epithelial cells and fewer stromal and lymphoid cells, linked to high androgen levels and insulin resistance. Specific cell types in the PCOS endometrium exhibited disrupted gene expression, affecting cell-to-cell attachment and communication. Treatments partially reversed these changes, especially with metformin restoring certain gene expressions. They also spotted potential treatment targets, like the integrin pathway, which could help reduce cancer risk.

In this paper, researchers employed both single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) and Stereo-seq spatial transcriptomics to investigate the endometrial tissue of women with and without PCOS. snRNA-seq provided a comprehensive cellular atlas by analyzing gene expression at the single-cell level, identifying distinct cell populations and their transcriptional profiles. To add spatial context to these findings, Stereo-seq was utilized to map the physical locations of gene expression within the tissue. By combining snRNA-seq and Stereo-seq data, the researchers could correlate specific gene expression patterns with their spatial organization, enhancing the understanding of cellular interactions and functional architecture in the endometrium affected by PCOS.

Discover more about the paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03592-z

About STOmics Stereo-seq:

STOmics Stereo-seq Transcriptomics for Large Chip Designs (LCD) revolutionizes whole transcriptome studies by enabling analysis of entire tissue sections. Compatible with all species (including FF samples), it provides a seamless "tissue-to-data" solution by capturing the entire transcriptome in situ, delivering single-cell resolution across a large field of view.

https://en.stomics.tech/products/stereo-seq-transcriptomics-large-chip-design/list.html

* The STOmics Grant Program and the STOmics EU team supported this research by providing access to Stereo-seq technology.