Project description:In the ovary, proliferation and differentiation of granulosa cells (GCs) drive the growth of follicles. This is, in part, dependent on gonadotropins. Our immunohistochemical studies provided hints of mitochondrial biogenesis and intracellular redistribution in GCs of growing follicles. A cellular model, human KGN cells (granulosa cell tumor cells, derived from growing follicles) was used to study aspects of mitochondrial dynamics. To elevate cAMP and thereby mimic gonadotropin actions, forskolin (FSK) was used, which increased KGN cell size and mitochondrial DNA within 24 h. MitoTracker experiments and ultrastructural 3D reconstruction revealed that FSK treatment induced the formation of elaborate mitochondrial networks. H89, a protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, reduced network formation. A proteomic analysis indicated that FSK among others elevated levels of regulators of the cytoskeleton and the steroidogenic enzyme CYP11A1, located in mitochondria, was more than 3-fold increased, implying that cAMP/PKA-associated structural changes go in parallel with the acquisition of steroidogenic competence of mitochondria in KGN cells. In summary, in situ observations showed increases in mitochondria and suggested intracellular trafficking in GCs during follicular growth and indicated that they may partially be under the control of gonadotropins/cAMP. In line with this, elevation of cAMP in KGN profoundly affected mitochondria dynamics in a PKA-dependent manner and implicated cytoskeletal changes.
Project description:The oocyteâs capacity to complete maturation, to succeed fertilization and to reach the blastocyst stage is what defines the oocyteâs competence. The oocyte acquires this competence working closely with somatic cells of the follicle. Cumulus and granulosa cells provided support for the oocyteâs development and conversely the oocyte influence follicular cell growth and differentiation. Existing studies support the idea that follicular-stimulated hormone and luteinizing hormone play an essential role in oocyte competence acquisition through protein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase C (PKC) signalling in granulosa cells. Therefore, human-like granulosa cells (KGN) were treated with forskolin 10 μM and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate 0.1 μM for 24 hours in order to process a transcriptomic analysis of differentially express genes between treatment. Over 2000 genes were founded to be differentially express at cut-off fold change of 1.5 and a p-value of 0.05. Five major upstreams, EGF, TGFB1, VEGF, FGF2 and HGF were founded to play an important role in competence acquisition thought PKA and PKC signalling. Differentially expressed targeted genes of both signalling pathways were classified in seven major ovarian functions such as PTGS2, IL8 and IL6 in inflammation, STAR, CYP11A1, CYP19A1 in steroidogenesis, VEGFC, VEGFA, CXCR4 in angiogenesis, AREG, EGFR, SPRY2 in differentiation, BAX, BCL2L12, CASP1 in apoptosis, CCND1, CCNB1, CCNB2 in division and MMP1, MMP9, TIMP1 in ovulation. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that PKA and PKC signalling potentiate their effects in some functions such as inflammation and apoptosis while some others are more specific to one or the other protein kinase like differentiation, ovulation and angiogenesis that are thought to be more PKC-dependent in human granulosa cells. 8 samples were analysed, 4 controls compared to 4 Forskolin treatments (total of 4 replicates).
Project description:The oocyteâs capacity to complete maturation, to succeed fertilization and to reach the blastocyst stage is what defines the oocyteâs competence. The oocyte acquires this competence working closely with somatic cells of the follicle. Cumulus and granulosa cells provided support for the oocyteâs development and conversely the oocyte influence follicular cell growth and differentiation. Existing studies support the idea that follicular-stimulated hormone and luteinizing hormone play an essential role in oocyte competence acquisition through protein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase C (PKC) signalling in granulosa cells. Therefore, human-like granulosa cells (KGN) were treated with forskolin 10 μM and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate 0.1 μM for 24 hours in order to process a transcriptomic analysis of differentially express genes between treatment. Over 2000 genes were founded to be differentially express at cut-off fold change of 1.5 and a p-value of 0.05. Five major upstreams, EGF, TGFB1, VEGF, FGF2 and HGF were founded to play an important role in competence acquisition thought PKA and PKC signalling. Differentially expressed targeted genes of both signalling pathways were classified in seven major ovarian functions such as PTGS2, IL8 and IL6 in inflammation, STAR, CYP11A1, CYP19A1 in steroidogenesis, VEGFC, VEGFA, CXCR4 in angiogenesis, AREG, EGFR, SPRY2 in differentiation, BAX, BCL2L12, CASP1 in apoptosis, CCND1, CCNB1, CCNB2 in division and MMP1, MMP9, TIMP1 in ovulation. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that PKA and PKC signalling potentiate their effects in some functions such as inflammation and apoptosis while some others are more specific to one or the other protein kinase like differentiation, ovulation and angiogenesis that are thought to be more PKC-dependent in human granulosa cells. 8 samples were analysed, 4 controls compared to 4 Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate treatments (total of 4 replicates).
Project description:The oocyte’s capacity to complete maturation, to succeed fertilization and to reach the blastocyst stage is what defines the oocyte’s competence. The oocyte acquires this competence working closely with somatic cells of the follicle. Cumulus and granulosa cells provided support for the oocyte’s development and conversely the oocyte influence follicular cell growth and differentiation. Existing studies support the idea that follicular-stimulated hormone and luteinizing hormone play an essential role in oocyte competence acquisition through protein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase C (PKC) signalling in granulosa cells. Therefore, human-like granulosa cells (KGN) were treated with forskolin 10 μM and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate 0.1 μM for 24 hours in order to process a transcriptomic analysis of differentially express genes between treatment. Over 2000 genes were founded to be differentially express at cut-off fold change of 1.5 and a p-value of 0.05. Five major upstreams, EGF, TGFB1, VEGF, FGF2 and HGF were founded to play an important role in competence acquisition thought PKA and PKC signalling. Differentially expressed targeted genes of both signalling pathways were classified in seven major ovarian functions such as PTGS2, IL8 and IL6 in inflammation, STAR, CYP11A1, CYP19A1 in steroidogenesis, VEGFC, VEGFA, CXCR4 in angiogenesis, AREG, EGFR, SPRY2 in differentiation, BAX, BCL2L12, CASP1 in apoptosis, CCND1, CCNB1, CCNB2 in division and MMP1, MMP9, TIMP1 in ovulation. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that PKA and PKC signalling potentiate their effects in some functions such as inflammation and apoptosis while some others are more specific to one or the other protein kinase like differentiation, ovulation and angiogenesis that are thought to be more PKC-dependent in human granulosa cells.
Project description:The oocyte’s capacity to complete maturation, to succeed fertilization and to reach the blastocyst stage is what defines the oocyte’s competence. The oocyte acquires this competence working closely with somatic cells of the follicle. Cumulus and granulosa cells provided support for the oocyte’s development and conversely the oocyte influence follicular cell growth and differentiation. Existing studies support the idea that follicular-stimulated hormone and luteinizing hormone play an essential role in oocyte competence acquisition through protein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase C (PKC) signalling in granulosa cells. Therefore, human-like granulosa cells (KGN) were treated with forskolin 10 μM and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate 0.1 μM for 24 hours in order to process a transcriptomic analysis of differentially express genes between treatment. Over 2000 genes were founded to be differentially express at cut-off fold change of 1.5 and a p-value of 0.05. Five major upstreams, EGF, TGFB1, VEGF, FGF2 and HGF were founded to play an important role in competence acquisition thought PKA and PKC signalling. Differentially expressed targeted genes of both signalling pathways were classified in seven major ovarian functions such as PTGS2, IL8 and IL6 in inflammation, STAR, CYP11A1, CYP19A1 in steroidogenesis, VEGFC, VEGFA, CXCR4 in angiogenesis, AREG, EGFR, SPRY2 in differentiation, BAX, BCL2L12, CASP1 in apoptosis, CCND1, CCNB1, CCNB2 in division and MMP1, MMP9, TIMP1 in ovulation. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that PKA and PKC signalling potentiate their effects in some functions such as inflammation and apoptosis while some others are more specific to one or the other protein kinase like differentiation, ovulation and angiogenesis that are thought to be more PKC-dependent in human granulosa cells.
Project description:Female reproduction depends on the metabolic status especially during the period of folliculogenesis. Even though it is believed that melatonin can improve oocyte competence, there is still limited knowledge of how it can modulate metabolic processes during folliculogenesis, and of which signaling pathways are involved in regulating gene expression. To investigate the effects of melatonin on metabolic signals during the antral stage of follicular development, human granulosa-like tumour cells (KGN) were treated with melatonin or forskolin and gene expression was analyzed with RNA seq technology. Following appropriate normalization and the application of a fold change cut-off of 1.5 (FC 1.5, P ≤ 0.05), 1,009 and 922 genes were identified as differentially expressed in response to melatonin and forskolin, respectively. Analysis of major upstream regulators suggested that melatonin may activate PKB/mTOR signaling pathways to program the metabolism of KGN cells to support slower growth and differentiation and to prevent follicular atresia. Similarly, PKA activation through stimulation of cAMP synthesis with FSK seemed to exert the same effects as melatonin in reducing follicular growth and regulating differentiation. This study suggests that it is possible that melatonin acts through PKA and PKB simultaneously in human granulosa cells to prevent follicular atresia and early luteinisation at the antral stage.
Project description:RNA seq analysis of protein kinase A, protein kinase B and protein kinase C signalling pathways in human tomoural granulosa cells (KGN).
Project description:PKA activation by FSH is essential to transduce FSH-mediated effects on granulosa cell proliferation, differentiation and steroidogenesis. However, It is unknown whether activation of PKA is sufficient to account for the entire program of granulosa cell responses to FSH. We addressed this question by conducting a comprehensive comparative analysis of signaling pathways and gene expression profiles of granulosa cells stimulated with FSH or expressing a constitutively active PKA mutant, PKA-CQR.