AKR1C3 and polycystic ovary syndrome: This inverse relationship between SC abdominal adipose AKR1C3 protein expression and circulating cortisol levels was not statistically different between women with PCOS and controls, implying that SC fat storage in normal-weight women may represent a reciprocal balance between androgen inhibition of catecholamine-induced lipolysis [31, 32], as seen in similar adipose of PCOS women [33, 34], and peripheral glucocorticoid-induced lipolysis [26, 35-38].