Mice exposed to maternal androgen excess and diet-induced obesity have altered phosphorylation of catechol-O-methyltransferase in the placenta and fetal liver.

These results suggest a common regulatory mechanism of catecholamine metabolism in the placenta and the fetal liver as demonstrated by higher phosphorylated COMT expression in the placenta and fetal liver from animals exposed to diet-induced maternal obesity and lower expression of phosphorylated COMT in animals exposed to maternal androgen excess.