Abstract
By using DNA 3′-end labeling, immunocytochemistry and mRNA insitu hybridization detection techniques, the expression of inhibin subunits and LH receptor in the granulosa cells and tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) in the oocytes has been studied in relation to follicular development and atresia. The results demonstrated that: (i) tPA activity in the oocytes of normal developing follicles is undetectable, and increases significantly in the follicle undergoing atresia; (ii) the production of inhibin subunits in granulosa cells is negatively correlated with the expression of oocyte tPA activity, indicating that they may be an important regulator of oocyte tPA production and follicular development; (iii) in atretic follicles, granulosa cells do not express LH receptor and inhibin subunits. It is therefore suggested that tPA may play a role in oocyte self-destruction and clearance in some of atretic follicles, and inhibin of granulosa-origin might be an inhibitory factor for the translation of tPA in the oocyte.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hsueh, A. J. W., Billing, H., Tsafrin, A., Ovarian follicle atresia: a hormonally controlled apoptotic process,Endocrine. Rev., 1994, 15: 707.
Tilly, J. L., Apoptosis and ovarian function,Rev. Reprod., 1996, 1:162.
Erickson, G. F., An analysis of follicle development and ovum maturation,Semin. Reprod. Endocrinology, 1986, 4:233.
Tilly, J. L., Tilly, K. I., Kenton, M. L. et al., Expression of members of the Bcl-2 gene family in the immature rat ovary,Endocrinology, 1995, 136: 232.
Kessel, B., Liu, Y. X., Jia, X. C. et al., Autocrine role of estrogens in the augmentation of luteinizing hormone receptor formation on cultured rat granulosa cells,Biol. Reprod., 1985, 32: 1038.
Liu, Y. X., Hsueh, A. J. W., Autocrine role of endogenously-produced estrogen in the enhancement of aromatase activity, progesterone production and LH receptor in cultured rat granulosa cells,Chinese J. Phys. Sci., 1986, 1:1.
Billing, H., Furuta, I., Hsueh, A. J. W., Estrogens inhibit and androgens enhance ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis,En-docrinology, 1993, 133: 2204.
Findlay, J. K., An update on the rates of inhibin, activin and follistatin as local regulators of folliculogenesis,Biol. Reprod., 1993, 48: 15.
Liu, Y. X., Ny, T., Sarak, D. et al., Identification and regulation of tissue plasminogen activator activity in rat cumulus-oocyte complexes,Endocrinology, 1986, 119: 1578.
Liu, Y. X., Hsueh, A. J. W., Plasminogen activator activity in cumulus-oocyte complexes of gonadotropin-treated rats during periovulatory periods,Biol. Reprod., 1987, 36: 1055.
Huarte, J., Belin, D., Vassalli, J. D. et al., Plasminogen activator in mouse and rat oocytes: Induction during meiotic mat-uration,Cell, 1985, 431: 551.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 39770099 and 39770290), Chinese Academy of Sciences and Rockefeller Foundation/WHO HPR research project.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yan, J., Feng, Q., Liu, H. et al. Expression of tPA, LH receptor and inhibin α, βA subunits during follicular atresia in rats. Sci. China Ser. C.-Life Sci. 42, 583–590 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02881575
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02881575