Downregulation of the expression of inhibin α subunit and betaglycan in          porcine cystic follicles

Chunqiang WANG; Chunjing LI; Hongjiao LI; Wei MA; Shuxiong CHEN; Yun ZHAO; Jiahui RAO; Xu ZHOU

doi:10.1292/jvms.14-0617

Theriogenology

Downregulation of the expression of inhibin α subunit and betaglycan in porcine cystic follicles

Chunqiang WANG, Chunjing LI, Hongjiao LI, Wei MA, Shuxiong CHEN, Yun ZHAO, Jiahui RAO, Xu ZHOU

Author information

Chunqiang WANG
College of Animal Sciences, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo Engineering, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, P.R. of China
College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning 121001, P.R. of China
Chunjing LI
College of Animal Sciences, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo Engineering, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, P.R. of China
Hongjiao LI
College of Animal Sciences, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo Engineering, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, P.R. of China
Wei MA
College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning 121001, P.R. of China
Shuxiong CHEN
College of Animal Sciences, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo Engineering, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, P.R. of China
Yun ZHAO
College of Animal Sciences, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo Engineering, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, P.R. of China
Jiahui RAO
College of Animal Sciences, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo Engineering, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, P.R. of China
Xu ZHOU
College of Animal Sciences, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo Engineering, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, P.R. of China

Keywords: betaglycan, FSH, inhibin α subunit, porcine cystic follicles

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2015 Volume 77 Issue 11 Pages 1419-1425

DOI https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.14-0617

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Abstract

Inhibins, as members of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) superfamily, downregulate the synthesis and secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in an endocrine manner. The role of inhibin/betaglycan in the ovary regulation recently gained attention. To date, no data exist on the function of inhibin α subunit and betaglycan in cystic follicles. In this study, the expressions of inhibin α subunit and betaglycan in cystic follicles were investigated using immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. Both inhibin α subunit and betaglycan immunoreactivities were mainly localized in the granulosa cells of follicles. Expression of inhibin α subunit and betaglycan was inferior in cystic follicles compared with that in normal large follicles. However, the result of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed no significant difference in the decreasing in concentration of inhibin α subunit in cystic follicular fluid compared with the control (P>0.05). In this study, we explored the effects of FSH on betaglycan expression in granulosa cells in vitro. As expected, a significant increase in the expressions of betaglycan mRNA and protein in granulosa cells was observed in response to exogenous FSH (30 ng/ml) (P<0.05) compared with the control. Consequently, this study provides evidence that the expressions of inhibin α subunit and betaglycan are inferior in cystic follicles, and this may be caused by the decrease in FSH in the presence of a cystic follicle.

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