Unknown,Transcriptomics,Genomics,Proteomics

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Neurotrophin NT3 promotes ovarian primordial to primary follicle transition

ABSTRACT: Neurotrophins are growth factors that are known to have a role in promoting cell survival and differentiation. The focus of the current study is to examine the role of neurotrophins in regulating ovarian primordial follicle development. Ovaries from 4-day old rats were placed into organ culture and cultured for 10 days in the absence or presence of neurotrophin-3 (NT3), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), or nerve growth factor (NGF). Treatment of ovaries with NT3 resulted in a significant (P<0.01) increase in primordial follicle development (i.e. primordial to primary follicle transition). Treatment with BDNF at high doses of 100â250 ng/ml also significantly (P<0.01) increased primordial follicle development, but NGF had no effect. Immunohistochemical studies determined that NT3 was present in granulosa cells, interstitial tissue, and in the oocytes of primordial and primary follicles. The NT3 receptor NTRK3 was present in oocytes at all stages of development. Analysis of ovaries that contain predominantly primordial follicles demonstrated the transcripts for NT3, NTRK3, NGF, and the BDNF/neurotrophin-4 (NT4) receptor NTRK2 are expressed, while BDNF, NT4, and the NGF receptor NTRK1 are not detectable. Inhibition of the NTRK3 receptor with the tyrophostin AG 879 resulted in oocyte death and a significant (P<0.01) reduction in follicle pool size. Inhibition of the NTRK receptors with K252a slowed primordial to primary follicle transition. A microarray analysis demonstrated that a small number of genes were differentially expressed after NT3 treatment. Observations indicate that the neurotrophin NT3, acting through the NTRK3 receptor in oocytes, promotes the primordial to primary follicle transition. Reproduction (2009) 138, pp. 697-707 We used microarrays to determine genes expressed differentially between control and NT3 (neurotrophin-3) treated P4 ovary. RNA samples from 3 control groups are compared to 3 NT3 treated ovary groups.

ORGANISM(S): Rattus norvegicus

SUBMITTER: Eric Nilsson

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-20358 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress

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Neurotrophin NT3 promotes ovarian primordial to primary follicle transition.

Nilsson Eric E Dole Gretchen G Skinner Michael K MK

Reproduction (Cambridge, England) 20090707 4

Neurotrophins are growth factors that are known to have a role in promoting cell survival and differentiation. The focus of the current study is to examine the role of neurotrophins in regulating ovarian primordial follicle development. Ovaries from 4-day old rats were placed into organ culture and cultured for 10 days in the absence or presence of neurotrophin-3 (NT3), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), or nerve growth factor (NGF). Treatment of ovaries with NT3 resulted in a significant ...[more]

PMID: 19584175

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Project description:Follicle assembly is the process by which groups or ânestsâ of oocytes break down to form primordial follicles. The size of the primordial follicle pool is the major determinant of the reproductive lifespan of a female. Previously, progesterone (P4) has been shown to inhibit follicle assembly, while tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) has been shown to promote the apoptosis that is necessary for follicle assembly. The current study examines how TNF-alpha and progesterone interact to regulate primordial follicle assembly. Ovaries were collected from newborn rats and placed in organ culture to examine the actions of P4 and TNF-alpha. P4 was found to decrease primordial follicle assembly and increase the percentage of un-assembled oocytes both in vitro and in vivo. TNF-alpha treatment did not change the proportion of assembled follicles in cultured ovaries, but did block the ability of P4 to inhibit follicle assembly. Microarray analysis of the ovarian transcriptome revealed that progesterone treatment of the ovaries altered the expression of 513 genes with 132 only expressed after P4 treatment and 16 only expressed in control ovaries. The majority of genes were up-regulated greater than 2-fold over control, with a small subset of 16 genes down-regulated. Categories of genes affected by P4 are described including a group of extra-cellular signaling factors. The progesterone receptors expressed at the time of follicle assembly included the surface membrane progesterone receptors PGRMC1, PGRMC2 and RDA288. The nuclear genomic P4 receptor was not expressed at appreciable levels. Progesterone increased the expression of several genes (TANK, NFkappaB, Bcl2l1 and Bcl2l2) involved in a signaling pathway that promotes cell survival and inhibits apoptosis. Observations indicate that P4 acts through the surface membrane progesterone receptors to regulate primordial follicle assembly, and that TNF-alpha can over-ride the inhibitory actions of P4 on follicle assembly. A major mechanism involved in the actions of P4 is an increase in cell survival genes and inhibition of the apoptosis pathway. Observations provide insight into the hormonal regulation of primordial follicle assembly and lead to novel approaches to potentially manipulate follicle assembly and reproductive capacity. Experiment Overall Design: RNA samples from two control groups (pooled untreated cultured ovaries) are compared to two treated groups (pooled cultured ovaries treated with progesterone)

Project description:The assembly of the developmentally arrested primordial follicle and subsequent transition to the primary follicle are poorly understood processes critical to ovarian biology. Abnormal primordial follicle development can lead to pathologies such as premature ovarian failure. The current study used a genome-wide expression profile to investigate primordial follicle assembly and development. Rat ovaries with predominantly unassembled, primordial, or primary follicles were obtained. RNA from these ovaries was hybridized to rat microarray gene chips, and the gene expression (i.e., ovarian transcriptome) was compared between the developmental stages. Analysis of the ovarian transcriptome demonstrated 148 genes up-regulated and 50 genes down-regulated between the unassembled and primordial follicle stages. Observations demonstrate 80 genes up-regulated and 44 genes down-regulated between the primordial and primary follicle stages. The analysis demonstrated 2332 genes common among the three developmental stages, 146 genes specific for the unassembled follicles, 94 genes specific for the primordial follicles, and 151 genes specific for the primary follicles. Steroidogenic genes are up-regulated between unassembled and primordial follicles, and then many are again down-regulated between primordial and primary follicles. The hormones inhibin and Mullerian inhibitory substance (MIS) display a similar pattern of expression with the highest levels of mRNA in the primordial follicles. Several novel unknown genes that had dramatic changes in expression during primordial follicle development were also identified. Gene families/clusters identified that were up-regulated from unassembled to primordial follicles include growth factors and signal transduction gene clusters, whereas a down-regulated gene family was the synaptonemal complex genes associated with meiosis. Gene families/clusters that were up-regulated between primordial and primary follicles included immune response genes, metabolic enzymes, and proteases, whereas down-regulated gene families include the globulin genes and some steroidogenic genes. The expression of several growth factors changed during primordial follicle development, including vascular endothelial growth factor and insulin-like growth factor II. Elucidation of how these changes in gene expression coordinate primordial follicle assembly and the primordial to primary follicle transition provides a better understanding of these critical biological processes and allows selection of candidate regulatory factors for further investigation. Experiment Overall Design: RNA samples from two control groups (pooled untreated cultured ovaries) are compared to two treated groups (pooled cultured ovaries treated with progesterone)

Project description:The oocytes found within the primordial follicles of mammalian ovaries remain quiescent for months to years until they receive the appropriate signals to undergo the primordial to primary follicle transition and initiate folliculogenesis. The molecular mechanisms and extracellular signaling factors that regulate this process remain to be fully elucidated. The current study investigates the mechanisms utilized by anti-MÃ¼llerian hormone (AMH; i.e. MÃ¼llerian inhibitory substance) to inhibit the primordial to primary follicle transition. Ovaries from 4-day-old rats were placed into organ culture and incubated in the absence or presence of AMH, either alone or in combination with known stimulators of follicle transition, including basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), kit ligand (KITL), or keratinocyte growth factor (KGF). Following 10 days of culture, the ovaries were sectioned, stained, and morphologically evaluated to determine the percentage of primordial versus developing follicles. As previously demonstrated, AMH treatment decreased primordial to primary follicle transition. Interestingly, AMH inhibited the stimulatory actions of KITL, bFGF, and KGF. Therefore, AMH can inhibit the basal and stimulated development of primordial follicles. To investigate the mechanism of AMH actions, the influence AMH has on the ovarian transcriptome was analyzed. AMH treatment when compared with controls was found to alter the expression of 707 genes. The overall effect of AMH exposure is to decrease the expression of stimulatory factors, increase the expression of inhibitory factors, and regulate cellular pathways (e.g. transforming growth factor beta signaling pathway) that result in the inhibition of primordial follicle development. Analysis of the regulatory factors and cellular pathways altered by AMH provides a better understanding of the molecular control of primordial follicle development. Experiment Overall Design: RNA samples from two control groups (pooled untreated cultured ovaries) are compared to two treated groups (pooled cultured ovaries treated with AMH)

Project description:Primordial follicle assembly is a process that occurs in the embryonic or early post natal ovary in which oocyte nests break down to form individual primordial follicles. The size of this initial pool of primordial follicles in part determines the reproductive lifespan of the female. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) was identified as a potential regulatory candidate for this process in a previous microarray analysis of follicle development. The current study examines the effects of CTGF and associated transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFbeta-1) on follicle assembly. Ovaries were removed from newborn rat pups and placed in an organ culture system for two days to measure the effect of these factors on follicle assembly. In addition, ovaries were cultured and treated for ten days to determine the potential of CTGF and TGFbeta-1 to manipulate the primordial follicle pool size over a longer developmental time period. The ovaries treated with CTGF for two days were found to have an increased proportion of assembled follicles. TGFbeta-1 had no effect on primordial follicle assembly and in combination with CTGF decreased oocyte number in the ovary after two days of culture. Over ten days of treatment only the combined treatment of CTGF and TGFbeta-1 was found to cause an increase in the proportion of assembled follicles. Interestingly, treatment with TGFbeta-1 alone resulted in fewer total oocytes in the ovary and decreased the primordial follicle pool size after ten days of culture. Observations indicate that CTGF alone or in combination with TGFbeta-1 stimulates primordial follicle assembly and TGFbeta-1 can decrease the primordial follicle pool size. CTGF was found to regulate the ovarian transcriptome during primordial follicle assembly and an integrative network of genes was identified. CTGF is one of the first growth factors shown to promote primordial follicle assembly, while TGFbeta-1 is one of the first factors shown to decrease the primordial follicle pool size. These observations suggest the possibility of manipulating primordial follicle pool size and influencing female reproductive lifespan. We used microarrays to determine genes expressed differentially between control and CTGF (connective tissue growth factor) treated P0 ovary RNA samples from 3 control groups are compared to 3 CTGF treated ovary groups

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Neurotrophin NT3 promotes ovarian primordial to primary follicle transition

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Neurotrophin NT3 promotes ovarian primordial to primary follicle transition.

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