One of the key drivers of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is androgen excess, which results in symptoms such as metabolic dysfunction, impaired ovulation and endometrial diseases. A new study in Science investigated the potential for artemisinin, an anti-malaria drug derived from Artemisia plants, and its analogues to reduce androgen levels in women with PCOS and improve PCOS symptoms.

The researchers then looked into the mechanisms that drive this reduction in androgen synthesis. “Quantitative proteomics analysis revealed CYP11A1, the enzyme catalysing the initial step of androgen synthesis, as the most significantly decreased protein affected by artemisinins”, says corresponding author Qi-Qun Tang. They determined that artemisinins bind to the mitochondrial protease LONP1. This binding increases the interaction of LONP1 with CYP11A1, which resulted in increased degradation of CYP11A1, and so reduced androgen synthesis.

多囊卵巢综合征 （PCOS） 的主要驱动因素之一是雄激素过多，这会导致代谢功能障碍、排卵受损和子宫内膜疾病等症状。《科学》杂志上的一项新研究调查了青蒿素（一种源自青蒿植物的抗疟疾药物）及其类似物降低 PCOS 女性雄激素水平和改善 PCOS 症状的潜力。

然后，研究人员研究了导致雄激素合成减少的机制。“定量蛋白质组学分析显示，CYP11A1（催化雄激素合成初始步骤的酶）是受青蒿素影响最显着降低的蛋白质”，通讯作者 Qi-Qun Tang 说。他们确定青蒿素与线粒体蛋白酶 LONP1 结合。这种结合增加了 LONP1 与 CYP11A1 的相互作用，从而导致 CYP11A1 降解增加，从而减少雄激素合成。