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

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

Project description:BACKGROUND:Connective tissue growth factor (CCN2; CTGF) is a newly identified growth factor, which is involved in the regulation of wound repair and fibrosis. Because there is variation among individuals with respect to tissue response to injury, genetic factors might be involved in the final outcome of tissue repair or scarring. For example, polymorphisms in the promoter region of genes, such as those encoding transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1), interleukin 10 (IL-10), and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), influence transcriptional responses and are thought to contribute to the dysregulation of these genes in pathological conditions. AIM:To investigate whether the promoter region of the ccn2 (ctgf) gene contains polymorphic sequences that might account for differential expression. MATERIALS/METHODS:Seventy seven human DNA samples were sequenced-45 were from healthy controls and 32 were from patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD)-using M13 tailed sequence specific ccn2 (ctgf) primers for amplification of a 600 bp fragment upstream of the transcription start site. Amplicons were bidirectionally sequenced with a dye primer M13 forward and reverse sequencing kit. RESULTS:A C to G substitution was identified at position -132 in one of the patients with IHD. Moreover, in five of the 32 patients with IHD and in six of the 45 healthy controls, a G to C polymorphism was found at position -447. These substitutions at -132 and -447 are thought to lie within predicted binding domains for the transcription factors Pbx-1 and MZF1, respectively. In addition, insertions at position -43 (G), -47 (C), -71 (G) and a C to T substitution at position -198 were found in all DNA samples compared with the published ccn2 (ctgf) promoter sequence. These corrections do not involve sequences predicted to function as transcription factor binding sites. CONCLUSION:Sequence analysis of the ccn2 (ctgf) promoter of 77 human DNA samples has revealed corrections and polymorphic sites. The latter lie within putative regulatory elements.

Dataset Information

Connective tissue growth factor is required for normal follicle development and ovulation.

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Connective tissue growth factor is required for normal follicle development and ovulation.

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