Apelin and APJ receptor expression in granulosa and theca cells during different stages of follicular development in the bovine ovary: Involvement of apoptosis and hormonal regulation |
| |
Authors: | Takashi Shimizu Naomichi Kosaka Chiaki Murayama Masa Tetsuka Akio Miyamoto |
| |
Institution: | aGraduate School of Animal and Food Hygiene, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan;bDepartment of Agriculture and Life Science, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan |
| |
Abstract: | In the mammalian ovary, the microvasculature in the thecal layer of follicles is associated with follicular development. Apelin and its receptor, APJ, are expressed in the tissues and organs which include the vasculature. The aims of the present study were to examine the mRNA expression of apelin and the APJ receptor in granulosa cells and theca tissue of bovine follicles and the effects of steroid hormone and gonadotrophins on the expression of these genes in cultured granulosa cells and theca cells. The expression of apelin mRNA was not found in the granulosa cells of bovine follicles. The expression of the APJ gene was increased in granulosa cells of estrogen-inactive dominant follicles. The expression of apelin mRNA increased in theca tissues of estrogen-inactive dominant follicles. APJ expression in theca tissues increased with follicle growth. Progesterone stimulated the expression of APJ mRNA in the cultured granulosa cells. FSH stimulated the expression of APJ mRNA in the cultured granulosa cells. LH induced the expression of apelin and APJ receptor mRNAs in cultured theca cells. Taken together, our data indicate that the APJ receptor in granulosa cells and both apelin and the APJ receptor in theca tissues are expressed in bovine ovary, that APJ in granulosa cells may be involved in the appearance of the cell apoptosis, and that LH stimulates the expression of apelin and APJ genes in theca cells. |
| |
Keywords: | Apelin APJ receptor Follicle Progesterone Apoptosis Granulosa cell Theca cell |
本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录! |
|