Inhibin A, Inhibin B and Activin A in Follicular Fluid of Infertile Women with Tubal Damage, Unexplained Infertility and Endometriosis1

OBJECTIVE: Interest has focused recently on the influences of the polypeptide factors inhibin and activin on the selective regulation of the pituitary secretion of gonadotropins. DESIGN: Measurement of the concentrations of inhibin-related proteins in relation to the changes in pituitary gonadotropin (FSH, LH) parameters, after GnRH stimulation with a bolus injection of 100 microg gonadorelin, in 19 women with ovulatory disturbances. METHODS: Serum levels of inhibin A and B, activin A, and pro alpha-C were measured using sensitive ELISA kits. RESULTS: Within 60 min after GnRH stimulation, FSH values doubled from 5 to 10 mU/ml (P < 0.001). LH increased 12-fold from 2 to 24 mU/ml (P < 0.001). Activin A showed a significant decrease from 0.47 to 0.36 ng/ml (P < 0.001), whereas pro alpha-C increased from 127 to 156 pg/ml (P = 0.039). The median inhibin A concentration did not show a significant change between baseline and the 60 min value, whereas inhibin B was characterized by a minor, but not significant, increase in the median from 168 to 179 pg/ml (P = 0.408). A significant inverse correlation (P = 0.014) with a mean coefficient of correlation of 0.5516 was found, demonstrating a strong relationship between high inhibin B baseline levels and a small increase of FSH after 60 min. CONCLUSION: Our results show an interesting correlation between the baseline inhibin B and the change in FSH before and after GnRH stimulation. A high baseline inhibin B implies only a minor increase of FSH after 60 min.

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A longitudinal study of maternal serum inhibin-A, inhibin-B, activin-A, activin-AB, pro-alphaC and follistatin during pregnancy

Human Reproduction ◽

10.1093/humrep/13.12.3530 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 3530-3536 ◽

Cited By ~ 93

Author(s):

P. A. Fowler ◽

L. W. Evans ◽

N. P. Groome ◽

A. Templeton ◽

P. G. Knight

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Activin A ◽

Maternal Serum ◽

Inhibin B ◽

Inhibin A

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Follicular hormone dynamics during the midcycle surge of gonadotropins in women undergoing fertility treatment

MHR Basic science of reproductive medicine ◽

10.1093/molehr/gaaa013 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 26 (4) ◽

pp. 256-268 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

L C Poulsen ◽

A L M Englund ◽

A S Andersen ◽

J A Bøtkjær ◽

L S Mamsen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Reproductive Success ◽

Follicular Fluid ◽

Mixed Model ◽

Transvaginal Ultrasound ◽

Inhibin B ◽

Fertility Treatment ◽

Steroidogenic Enzymes ◽

Inhibin A ◽

Time Points

Abstract Changes in concentrations of intra-follicular hormones during ovulation are important for final oocyte maturation and endometrial priming to ensure reproductive success. As no human studies have investigated these changes in detail, our objective was to describe the dynamics of major follicular fluid (FF) hormones and transcription of steroidogenic enzymes and steroid receptors in human granulosa cells (GCs) during ovulation. We conducted a prospective cohort study at a public fertility clinic in 2016–2018. Fifty women undergoing ovarian stimulation for fertility treatment were included. From each woman, FF and GCs were collected by transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicle puncture of one follicle at two specific time points during ovulation, and the study covered a total of five time points: before ovulation induction (OI), 12, 17, 32 and 36 h after OI. Follicular fluid concentrations of oestradiol, progesterone, androstenedione, testosterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, anti-Mullerian hormone, inhibin A and inhibin B were measured using ELISA assays, and a statistical mixed model was used to analyse differences in hormone levels between time points. Gene expression of 33 steroidogenic enzymes and six hormone receptors in GCs across ovulation were assessed by microarray analysis, and selected genes were validated by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. We found that concentrations of oestradiol, testosterone, progesterone, AMH, inhibin A and inhibin B (P < 0.001) and gene expression of 12 steroidogenic enzymes and five receptors (false discovery rate < 0.0001) changed significantly during ovulation. Furthermore, we found parallel changes in plasma hormones. The substantial changes in follicular hormone production during ovulation highlight their importance for reproductive success.

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Activin A, inhibin A, inhibin B and parturition: changes of maternal and cord serum levels according to the mode of delivery

BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology ◽

10.1111/j.1471-0528.1999.tb08114.x ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 106 (10) ◽

pp. 1061-1065 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

P. Florio ◽

C. Benedetto ◽

S. Luisi ◽

M. Santuz ◽

C. Carlo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mode Of Delivery ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Activin A ◽

Inhibin B ◽

Inhibin A ◽

Cord Serum

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In vivo effects of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A, activin-A and vascular endothelial growth factor on other follicular-fluid factors during follicle deviation in mares

Reproduction ◽

10.1530/rep.1.00555 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 129 (4) ◽

pp. 489-496 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

O J Ginther ◽

E L Gastal ◽

M O Gastal ◽

M A Beg

Keyword(s):

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ◽

Growth Factor ◽

Follicular Fluid ◽

Protein A ◽

Activin A ◽

Control Group ◽

Vascular Endothelial ◽

Inhibin A ◽

Igf I ◽

Endothelial Growth Factor

During a follicular wave in mares, the two largest follicles (F1 and F2) begin to deviate in diameter when F1 is a mean of 22.5 mm. The intrafollicular effects of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), IGF-I, activin-A and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on other follicular-fluid factors during deviation were studied. In four treated groups (n= 7/group), a single dose of one of the four factors was injected into F2 when F1 was ≥20.0 mm (expected beginning of deviation). In a control group (n= 7), F2 was injected with vehicle. One day after treatment, a sample of follicular fluid was taken from F1 and F2 of the control group and from F2 of the treated groups and was assayed for free IGF-I, oestradiol, androstenedione, activin-A, inhibin-A, follistatin and VEGF. In the control group, the means for all end points were significantly greater in F1 than in F2, except that concentrations of androstenedione were lower in F1 than in F2. The treatment effects for F2 were significant as follows: PAPP-A increased the concentrations of free IGF-I, inhibin-A, follistatin and VEGF and decreased the concentrations of androstenedione; IGF-I increased the concentration of inhibin-A and decreased the concentration of androstenedione; activin-A decreased the concentrations of follistatin and androstenedione and increased the diameter of F2; and VEGF increased the concentration of IGF-I and decreased the concentration of androstenedione. These results support the hypotheses that during deviation in mares PAPP-A increases the follicular-fluid concentrations of free IGF-I, follistatin responds to changes in follicular-fluid concentrations of activin-A, and VEGF affects the concentrations of other follicular-fluid factors.

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Effects of porcine follicular fluid, inhibin-A, and activin-A on goldfish gonadotropin release in vitro.

Endocrinology ◽

10.1210/endo.131.4.1396337 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 131 (4) ◽

pp. 1922-1929 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

W Ge ◽

J P Chang ◽

R E Peter ◽

J Vaughan ◽

J Rivier ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Follicular Fluid ◽

Activin A ◽

Inhibin A ◽

Gonadotropin Release ◽

Release In Vitro

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Quantitative Differences in TGF-β Family Members Measured in Small Antral Follicle Fluids From Women With or Without PCO

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism ◽

10.1210/jc.2019-01094 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 104 (12) ◽

pp. 6371-6384 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Stine Gry Kristensen ◽

Ajay Kumar ◽

Bhanu Kalra ◽

Susanne Elisabeth Pors ◽

Jane Alrø Bøtkjær ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ovarian Tissue ◽

Family Members ◽

Antral Follicle ◽

Activin A ◽

Inhibin B ◽

Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation ◽

Growth Factor Signaling ◽

Polycystic Ovaries ◽

Inhibin A ◽

Growth Differentiation Factor 9

Abstract Context Members of the TGF-β family have been implicated in aberrant follicle development in women with polycystic ovaries (PCO). Objective Are there quantitative differences in the concentrations of TGF-β family members in fluid from human small antral follicles (hSAFs) in women with or without PCO? Design and Setting Follicle fluids (FFs) were collected from 4- to 11-mm hSAFs obtained from women undergoing ovarian tissue cryopreservation for fertility preservation. Patients FFs from 16 women with PCO (FF = 93) and 33 women without PCO (FF = 92). Main Outcome Measures Intrafollicular concentrations of growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF9); anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH); inhibin-A and inhibin-B; total inhibin; activin-A, activin-B, and activin-AB; follistatin; follistatin-like-3; estradiol; and testosterone. Results Activin-B concentrations were reported in hSAFs, and concentrations were 10 times higher than activin-A and activin-AB concentrations. Activin-B showed significant associations with other growth factors. Concentrations of inhibin-A and inhibin-B were significantly lower in FFs from women with PCO, especially in hSAFs <8 mm in diameter. AMH concentrations did not differ between the groups in hSAFs <8 mm; however, AMH remained high in hSAFs >8 mm in women with PCO but decreased in women without PCO. Estradiol was significantly lower in FFs from women with PCO and showed significant associations with AMH. Concentrations of GDF9 showed significantly higher concentrations in PCO FFs of follicles >6 mm. Conclusions Altered concentrations of TGF-β family members in hSAFs from women with PCO highlight altered growth factor signaling as a potential mechanism for follicle growth arrest.

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