scholarly journals Expression of adrenomedullin by human granulosa lutein cells and its effect on progesterone production

2000 ◽  
pp. 671-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Moriyama ◽  
T Otani ◽  
T Maruo

OBJECTIVE: Adrenomedullin (AM) has diverse functions and is expressed in a variety of tissues. This study was conducted to investigate the expression of AM in the human ovary and its effect on progesterone production by human granulosa lutein cells. DESIGN AND METHODS: Follicular fluid and blood samples were obtained at the time of oocyte retrieval from patients undergoing in vitro-fertilization cycles. Concentrations of AM in follicular fluid and plasma were measured by RIA. Granulosa cells were isolated from follicular fluid and expression of AM mRNA was examined by RT-PCR. Granulosa lutein cells were cultured in vitro and secretion of AM by those cells was determined by immunoprecipitation followed by PAGE. Immunohistochemical staining with human ovaries was carried out, using a specific antibody to AM. Furthermore, the effect of AM on progesterone production by cultured granulosa lutein cells was studied. RESULTS: Concentrations of AM in follicular fluid collected just before ovulation were significantly higher than those in the plasma (P<0.01). AM mRNA was expressed in granulosa cells at the preovulatory stage. Cultured granulosa lutein cells secreted immunoreactive AM. With immunohistochemical staining, it was revealed that AM was most abundantly expressed in granulosa lutein cells at the midluteal phase. No appreciable staining for AM was observed in granulosa cells in primordial and preantral follicles, whereas immunolocalization of AM was noted in granulosa cells of dominant follicles although it was not as prominent as in granulosa lutein cells at the midluteal phase. Furthermore, addition of AM to cultured granulosa lutein cells augmented progesterone secretion in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that AM is transcribed and secreted in human granulosa lutein cells as a local factor to enhance progesterone production by those cells.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing-Yi Li ◽  
Jian-Peng Chen ◽  
Yu-Li Qian ◽  
Jun-Yan Ma ◽  
Fei-Da Ni ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Luteinized unruptured follicular follicle syndrome (LUFS) is a special type of ovulatory dysfunction and a common cause of infertility. It is estimated that its prevalence is 13% ~ 73% in endometriosis patients. Increasing evidences prove that LUFS is one of the reasons for endometriosis-related infertility. Any alteration in FF components and GCs in endometriosis may influence the developing oocyte and ovulation. This study aimed to explore the effect of local elevated progesterone in follicular fluid (FF) on ovulation in endometriosis patients.Methods: A Prospective study with matched pairs design was conducted at a reproductive medicine center between July 2017 and January 2018 in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment (ICSI), while granulosa tumor-like cell line KGN (Bena culture collection, China) was used as in vitro cell model. Alterations in follicular and peritoneal fluid (PF) components identified with metabolomics analyses; Differentially expressed genes in GCs identified with transcriptome analysis; Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence were used to determine the expression of progesterone, NF-кB related genes, HPGD and COX-2; NF-кB binding identified with chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP).Results: Patients with endometriosis exhibited a significantly higher basal serum progesterone level, higher serum level of progesterone on trigger day and higher progesterone expression level in FF and PF. GCs from endometriosis patients revealed decreased expression of HPGD, COX-2 and suppressed NF-кB signaling, as manifested by decreased expressions of IL1R1 and IRAK3. Similarly, progesterone treatment in vitro down-regulated HPGD and COX2 expression and suppressed NF-кB signaling in KGN cells in a dose dependent manner, as manifested by decreased expressions of IL1R1, IRAK3, reduced pIкBα/IкBα ratio and nucleus translocation of p65. TNF-α, by contrast, increased expression of IL1R1, IRAK3, pIкBα, p65 and HPGD in KGN cells. Furthermore, one potential p65 binding site was identified in the promoter region of HPGD by chromatin immunoprecipitation.Conclusion: Endometriosis showed repression of NF-кB pathways and down-regulation of HPGD and COX2, which play important roles in the process of ovulation by participating in the metabolism of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), in granulosa cells (GCs) due to elevated progesterone in FF.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jozsef Bodis ◽  
Endre Sulyok ◽  
Akos Varnagy ◽  
Viktória Prémusz ◽  
Krisztina Godony ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundThis observational clinical study evaluated the expression levels and predictive values of some apoptosis-related genes in granulosa cells (GCs) and follicular fluid (FF) of women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).Methods GCs and FF were obtained at oocyte retrieval from 31 consecutive patients with heterogeneous infertility diagnosis (age: 34.3±5.8 years, body mass index: 24.02±3.12 kg/m2, duration of infertility: 4.2±2.1 years). mRNA expression of pro-apoptotic (BAX, CASP3, CASP8) and anti-apoptotic (BCL2, AMH, AMHR, FSHR, LHR, CYP19A1) factors was determined by quantitative RT-PCR using ROCHE LightCycler 480. Results No significant difference in GC or FF mRNA expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic factors could be demonstrated between IVF patients with (9 patients) or without (22 patients) clinical pregnancy. Each transcript investigated was detected in FF, but their levels were markedly reduced and independent of those in GCs. The number of retrieved oocytes was positively associated with GC AMHR (r=0.393, p=0.029), but the day of embryo transfer was negatively associated with GC LHR (r=-0.414, p=0.020) and GC FSHR transcripts (r=-0.535, p=0.002). When pregnancy positive group was analysed separately the impact of apoptosis- related gene expressions on some selected measures of IVF success could be observed. Strong positive relationship was found between gene expression levels of pro- and anti-apoptotic factors in GCs.ConclusionOur study provides only marginal evidences for the apoptosis dependence of IVF outcome and suggests that the apoptosis process induces adaptive increases of the anti-apoptotic gene expression to attenuate apoptosis and to protect cell survival.


2019 ◽  
Vol 102 (2) ◽  
pp. 511-520
Author(s):  
Yanrong Kuai ◽  
Xiaobo Gao ◽  
Huixia Yang ◽  
Haiyan Luo ◽  
Yang Xu ◽  
...  

Abstract Pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB) is an organochlorine fungicide widely used for crop production and has become an environmental concern. Little is known about the effect of PCNB on ovarian steroidogenesis and follicular development. We found that PCNB stimulated Star expression and progesterone production in cultured rat granulosa cells in a dose-dependent manner. PCNB activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK3/1) extracellulat regulated kinase (ERK1/2), thus inhibition of either protein kinase A (PKA) or MAPK3/1 signaling pathway significantly attenuated progesterone biosynthesis caused by PCNB, suggesting that PCNB induced progesterone production by activating the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP/PKA) and MAPK3/1 signaling pathways. Further investigation demonstrated that PCNB induced Star expression and altered MAPK3/1 signaling in ovary tissues of immature SD rats treated with PCNB at the dose of 100, 200, or 300 mg/kg by daily gavage for 7 days, while serum progesterone level was dose-dependently decreased. We demonstrated that PCNB exposure accelerated the recruitment of primordial follicles into the growing follicle pool in ovary tissues, accompanied by increased levels of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) in both ovary tissues and serum. Taken together, our data demonstrate for the first time that PCNB stimulated Star expression, altered MAPK3/1 signaling and progesterone production in vivo and in vitro, and accelerated follicular development with a concomitant increase in AMH in ovary tissues and serum. Our findings provide novel insight into the toxicity of PCNB to animal ovary function.


Reproduction ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 129 (4) ◽  
pp. 531-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Anifandis ◽  
E Koutselini ◽  
K Louridas ◽  
V Liakopoulos ◽  
K Leivaditis ◽  
...  

We studied the concentration of serum estradiol and serum and follicular fluid leptin in 200 women undergoing their first in vitro fertilization with embryo transfer (IVF-ET) program at the time of human chorionic gonadotrophin administration and oocyte retrieval, in an attempt to assess their concerted role on embryo quality and the prognosis of IVF outcome. Low serum (46.49 ± 8.4 ng/ml) and follicular fluid (52 ± 9.8 ng/ml) leptin levels were associated with a high number of ‘good-quality’ embryos (73.6%) and high implantation (11.2%) and pregnancy (35.8%) rates and were observed in women with normal peak estradiol levels of between 1000 and 2000 pg/ml. It appears that leptin and estradiol interact coordinately in a concentration-dependent manner to control IVF outcome. Further studies will be required to substantiate and clarify the mechanism of proposed conditional interaction between the two hormonal systems.


2002 ◽  
Vol 87 (7) ◽  
pp. 3441-3451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ravid Sasson ◽  
Abraham Amsterdam

Human granulosa cells obtained from in vitro fertilization patients are highly luteinized, but can still be stimulated by LH/cAMP for production of progesterone. This stimulation involved enhancement of apoptosis. Incubation of the cells with dexamethasone (Dex) reduced the apoptotic incidence compared with nontreated cells and completely abolished the increase in apoptosis stimulated by LH or forskolin, concomitantly with a pronounced increase in progesterone production. Organization of the actin cytoskeleton was dramatically reduced after LH/forskolin stimulation. In contrast, Dex prevented disorganization of the actin filament networks. LH and forskolin also decreased the organization of gap junctions, which could be prevented by Dex. However, the intracellular level of connexin 43 was elevated in the presence of LH, forskolin, and Dex. Endogenous levels of the survival gene protein Bcl-2 were significantly elevated in all cultures treated with Dex compared with either nonstimulated cultures or cultures stimulated with LH and forskolin. Our data suggest that LH/cAMP can stimulate steroidogenesis even during the initial stage of apoptosis of human granulosa cells, whereas Dex, which blocks apoptosis, could further elevate progesterone production. Moreover, the integrity of gap junctions and the actin cytoskeleton as well as elevated levels of Bcl-2 may play an important role in the suppression of apoptosis of human granulosa cells.


1997 ◽  
Vol 82 (7) ◽  
pp. 2135-2142
Author(s):  
Lane K. Christenson ◽  
Richard L. Stouffer

Granulosa cells in the ovulatory follicle express messenger ribonucleic acid encoding vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an agent that may mediate the neovascularization of the developing corpus luteum, but it is not known whether luteinizing granulosa cells synthesize and secrete VEGF during the periovulatory interval. Studies were designed to evaluate the effects of an in vivo gonadotropin surge on VEGF production by macaque granulosa cells (study 1) and to test the hypothesis that gonadotropins act directly on granulosa cells to regulate VEGF production (study 2). Monkeys received a regimen of exogenous gonadotropins to promote the development of multiple preovulatory follicles. Nonluteinized granulosa cells (i.e. preovulatory; NLGC) and luteinized granulosa cells (i.e. periovulatory; LGC) were aspirated from follicles before and 27 h after an ovulatory gonadotropin bolus, respectively. Cells were either incubated for 24 h in medium with or without 100 ng/mL hCG (study 1) or cultured for 6 days in medium with or without 100 ng/mL hCG or 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 ng/mL of recombinant human LH (r-hLH) or r-hFSH (study 2). Culture medium was assayed for VEGF and progesterone. In study 1, LGC produced 8-fold greater levels of VEGF than NLGC (899 ± 471 vs. 111 ± 26 pg/mL, mean ± sem; P &lt; 0.05). In vitro treatment with hCG increased (P &lt; 0.05) VEGF production by NLGC to levels that were not different from the LGC incubated under control conditions. In vivo bolus doses of r-hCG (100 and 1000 IU) and r-hFSH (2500 IU) were equally effective in elevating granulosa cell VEGF production. In study 2, in vitro treatment with r-hFSH, r-hLH, and hCG markedly increased (P&lt; 0.05) VEGF and progesterone production by the NLGC in a dose- and time-dependent manner. By comparison, the three gonadotropins (100 ng/mL dose) only modestly increased VEGF and progesterone production by LGC. These experiments demonstrate a novel role for the midcycle surge of gonadotropin (LH/CG or FSH) in primates to promote VEGF production by granulosa cells in the periovulatory follicle. Further, the data demonstrate that FSH-like as well as LH-like gonadotropins directly stimulate VEGF synthesis by granulosa cells.


2008 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenka Brůčková ◽  
Tomáš Soukup ◽  
Jiří Moos ◽  
Martina Moosová ◽  
Jana Pavelková ◽  
...  

The major functions of granulosa cells (GCs) include the production of steroids, as well as a myriad of growth factors to interact with the oocyte during its development within the ovarian follicle. Also FSH stimulates GCs to convert androgens (coming from the thecal cells) to estradiol by aromatase. However, after ovulation the GCs produce progesterone that may maintain a potential pregnancy. Experiments with human GCs are mainly focused on the purification of GCs from ovarian follicular fluid followed by FACS analysis or short-term cultivation. The aim of our study was to cultivate GCs for a long period, to characterize their morphology and phenotype. Moreover, we have cultivated GCs under gonadotropin stimulation in order to simulate different pathological mechanisms during folliculogenesis (e.g. ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome). GCs were harvested from women undergoing in vitro fertilization. Complex oocyte-cumulus oophorus was dissociated by hyaluronidase. The best condition for transport of GCs was optimized as short transport in follicular fluid at 37 °C. GCs expansion medium consisted of DMEM/F12, 2 % FCS, ascorbic acid, dexamethasone, L-glutamine, gentamycine, penicillin, streptomycin and growth factors (EGF, bFGF). GCs transported in follicular fluid and cultivated in 2 % FCS containing DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with follicular fluid presented increased adhesion, proliferation, viability and decreased doubling time. Cell viability was 92 % and mean cell doubling time was 52 hrs. We have optimized transport and cultivation protocols for long-term cultivation of GCs.


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