This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Jayawardana, B. C Articles by Miyamoto, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Jayawardana, B. C Articles by Miyamoto, A.

Hormonal regulation of expression of growth differentiation factor-9 receptor type I and II genes in the bovine ovarian follicle

Graduate School of Animal and Food Hygiene and ¹ Department of Agriculture and Life Science, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine Inada-Machi, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan 080-8555

Correspondence should be addressed to T Shimizu; Email: shimizut{at}obihiro.ac.jp

Growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9) and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are crucial factors in follicular growth and development. GDF-9 and BMPs initiate signaling by assembling type I (ALK-3, ALK-5 and ALK-6) and type II (BMPRII) receptors. However, the mechanism regulating the expression of these receptors in the process of bovine follicle development is still unknown. The aim of the present study was to clarify the involvement of receptor systems for GDF-9 and BMPs in follicular selection by examining the effects of FSH and estradiol-17ß (E2) on the regulation of BMPRII, ALK-3, ALK-5 and ALK-6 mRNA expression in bovine granulosa cells (GCs). To observe mRNA expression during follicular development, follicles were obtained from heifers and classified into two groups: pre-selection follicles (PRFs) (an average of 7.7 mm follicles with low E2) and post-selection follicles (POFs) (an average of 15 mm follicles with high E2). Theca layer cells (TCs) and GCs were harvested from aspirated follicles. For in vitro studies, GCs were obtained from bovine follicles of 4–7 mm diameter and cultured in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s/F12 (DMEM/F-12) medium with 10% fetal calf serum for 24 h. The medium was then replaced with serum-free DMEM/F-12 supplemented with different doses of E2 (1, 10, 100 ng/ml) or FSH (1, 5, 10 ng/ml) or combinations of 1 ng/ml of E2 with different FSH doses. Total RNA was extracted and the mRNA expression of BMPRII, ALK-3, ALK-5 and ALK-6 was estimated by the quantitative real-time PCR method using a LightCycler. BMPRII and ALK-5 expression was significantly higher in the GCs of POFs than in those of PRFs, whereas ALK-3 expression was significantly lower in the GCs of POFs than in those of PRFs. There was no difference in ALK-6 expression in GCs between PRFs and POFs. The expression of BMPRII, ALK-5, ALK-3 and ALK-6 genes in the TCs was not significantly different between PRFs and POFs. Treatment of GCs with E2 alone increased BMPRII mRNA expression at a concentration of 100 ng/ml and ALK-5 mRNA expression at 10 ng/ml. BMPRII and ALK-5 mRNA levels were up-regulated by the combination of E2 (1 ng/ml) and FSH (5 ng/ml). On the other hand, FSH alone down-regulated the expression of BMPRII and ALK-5 in GCs. The results of the present study provide the first evidence that FSH and E2 regulate the expression of BMPRII and ALK-5 genes in bovine GCs. Thus, our data suggest that the GDF-9/BMPRII/ALK-5 system may be critically involved in the process of selection of bovine follicles.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. Paradis, S. Novak, G. K Murdoch, M. K Dyck, W. T Dixon, and G. R Foxcroft Temporal regulation of BMP2, BMP6, BMP15, GDF9, BMPR1A, BMPR1B, BMPR2 and TGFBR1 mRNA expression in the oocyte, granulosa and theca cells of developing preovulatory follicles in the pig Reproduction, July 1, 2009; 138(1): 115 - 129. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X. Zheng, D. Boerboom, and P. D Carriere Transforming growth factor-{beta}1 inhibits luteinization and promotes apoptosis in bovine granulosa cells Reproduction, June 1, 2009; 137(6): 969 - 977. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Wang and S. K. Roy Expression of Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptor (BMPR) during Perinatal Ovary Development and Primordial Follicle Formation in the Hamster: Possible Regulation by FSH Endocrinology, April 1, 2009; 150(4): 1886 - 1896. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. J Spicer, P. Y Aad, D. T Allen, S. Mazerbourg, A. H Payne, and A. J Hsueh Growth Differentiation Factor 9 (GDF9) Stimulates Proliferation and Inhibits Steroidogenesis by Bovine Theca Cells: Influence of Follicle Size on Responses to GDF9 Biol Reprod, February 1, 2008; 78(2): 243 - 253. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]