PLOD1 and infection: Given that the production of soluble polypeptide hormone and cytokine receptors is regulated by alternative splicing, protease activation, secretion of membrane vesicles [31], ligand-mediated receptor activation [15] and stress [19], the higher concentrations of the sLHCGR/LH-sLHCGR that we have observed could be attributed to infection, endometriosis, ovarian and adrenal pathology, obesity, insulin resistance and other metabolic diseases.