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Role of nuclear factor-κB pathway in the transition of mouse secondary follicles to antral follicles |
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| Authors: | Jun-Jie Xu Guang Wang Xin Luo Li-Jing Wang Yongping Bao Xuesong Yang |
| Institution: | 1. Division of Histology and Embryology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
International Joint Laboratory for Embryonic Development and Prenatal Medicine, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China Jun-Jie Xu and Guang Wang contributed to the work equally.;2. Division of Histology and Embryology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China International Joint Laboratory for Embryonic Development and Prenatal Medicine, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China;3. Institute of Vascular Biological Sciences, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China;4. Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK;5. Division of Histology and Embryology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China |
| Abstract: | Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling is involved in regulating a great number of normal and abnormal cellular events. However, little is known about its role in ovarian follicular development. In this study, we found NF-κB signaling is activated during the transition from secondary to antral follicles. We generated active NF-κB mice and found that antral follicular numbers were higher than wild-type ovaries. Activation of NF-κB signaling could enhance granulosa cell proliferation and regress granulosa cell apoptosis of mouse ovarian follicles. Higher follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) and luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor expressions were observed in active NF-κB ovaries compared to wild type. Furthermore, we confirmed that NF-κB signaling was indeed involved in the granulosa cell viability and proliferation through FSHR using COV434 cell line. This is the first experimental evidence that NF-κB signaling is implicated in the control of follicular development through FSHR and its corresponding target molecules, which might be achieved by targeting proliferation and apoptosis in follicular granulosa cells. |
| Keywords: | cell proliferation and apoptosis follicular development granulosa cells NF-κB signaling |