Project description:The ovulatory LH surge induces rapid changes of transcriptome and cellular functions in granulosa cells (GCs) undergoing luteinization. However, it remains unclear how the changes in genome-wide gene expression are regulated. The changes of trimethylation of lysine 4 on histone H3 (H3K4me3) is associated with the rapid alteration of gene expression. In this study, we genome-widely investigated the changes of transcriptome and H3K4me3 status in mouse GCs undergoing luteinization during ovulation. GCs were obtained from mice treated with equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) before, 4 h and 12 h after human (h)CG injection. RNA-sequence identified a number of up- or down-regulated genes, which can be classified into six patterns according to the time-course changes of gene expression. A number of genes showed a transient up- or down-regulation at 4 h after hCG stimulation. Gene ontology analysis revealed that they were involved in the regulation of steroidogenesis, ovulation, COC expansion, angiogenesis, immune system, ROS metabolism, inflammatory response, and metabolisms. The newly identified cellular functions, DNA repair, autophagy and cell growth were found to be activated during ovulation. ChIP-sequence revealed a genome-wide and rapid change of H3K4me3 during ovulation. Integration of transcriptome and H3K4me3 data identified a number of H3K4me3-regulated genes, which were involved in the regulation of a lot of cellular functions for ovulation and luteinization. The present study demonstrated that genome-wide changes of H3K4me3 might contribute to the rapid change of genome-wide gene expression, which enables GCs acquire a lot of cellular functions within a short time for ovulation and luteinization.
Project description:The ovulatory LH surge induces rapid changes of transcriptome and cellular functions in granulosa cells (GCs) undergoing luteinization. However, it remains unclear how the changes in genome-wide gene expression are regulated. The changes of trimethylation of lysine 4 on histone H3 (H3K4me3) is associated with the rapid alteration of gene expression. In this study, we genome-widely investigated the changes of transcriptome and H3K4me3 status in mouse GCs undergoing luteinization during ovulation. GCs were obtained from mice treated with equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) before, 4 h and 12 h after human (h)CG injection. RNA-sequence identified a number of up- or down-regulated genes, which can be classified into six patterns according to the time-course changes of gene expression. A number of genes showed a transient up- or down-regulation at 4 h after hCG stimulation. Gene ontology analysis revealed that they were involved in the regulation of steroidogenesis, ovulation, COC expansion, angiogenesis, immune system, ROS metabolism, inflammatory response, and metabolisms. The newly identified cellular functions, DNA repair, autophagy and cell growth were found to be activated during ovulation. ChIP-sequence revealed a genome-wide and rapid change of H3K4me3 during ovulation. Integration of transcriptome and H3K4me3 data identified a number of H3K4me3-regulated genes, which were involved in the regulation of a lot of cellular functions for ovulation and luteinization. The present study demonstrated that genome-wide changes of H3K4me3 might contribute to the rapid change of genome-wide gene expression, which enables GCs acquire a lot of cellular functions within a short time for ovulation and luteinization.
Project description:Comparison of 9 paired human granulosa cell samples just before and 36h after hCG triggering for controlled ovarian stimulation, to explore genes regulated by hCG and involved with ovulation and final oocyte maturation.
Project description:A surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary gland triggers ovulation, oocyte maturation, and luteinization for successful reproduction in mammals. Since the signaling molecules RAS and ERK1/2 are activated by a LH surge in granulosa cells of preovulatory follicles, we disrupted Erk1/2 in mouse granulosa cells and provide in vivo evidence that these kinases are necessary for LH-induced oocyte resumption of meiosis, ovulation, and luteinization. In addition, biochemical analyses and selected disruption of the Cebpb gene in granulosa cells demonstrate that C/EBP is a critical downstream mediator of ERK1/2 activation. These mouse models provide in vivo systems in which to define the context specific and molecular mechanisms by which granulosa cells respond to LH and these mechanisms are relevant to the regulation of human fertility and infertility. Immature wild type or ERK1/2 conditonal knock-out mice were injected with 5IU equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG)-48h followed by 5 IU hCG injection. The ovarian granulosa cells were collected at hCG 0h, 2.5h, or 4h and the gene expression pforiles were compared by microarray method.
Project description:A surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary gland triggers ovulation, oocyte maturation, and luteinization for successful reproduction in mammals. Since the signaling molecules RAS and ERK1/2 are activated by a LH surge in granulosa cells of preovulatory follicles, we disrupted Erk1/2 in mouse granulosa cells and provide in vivo evidence that these kinases are necessary for LH-induced oocyte resumption of meiosis, ovulation, and luteinization. In addition, biochemical analyses and selected disruption of the Cebpb gene in granulosa cells demonstrate that C/EBP is a critical downstream mediator of ERK1/2 activation. These mouse models provide in vivo systems in which to define the context specific and molecular mechanisms by which granulosa cells respond to LH and these mechanisms are relevant to the regulation of human fertility and infertility.
Project description:Harmful algal blooms (HABs) arise from the rapid growth of algae in both marine and freshwater ecosystems due to the continuous global temperature rise and anthropogenic eutrophication. Humans are at a great risk of exposure to toxins released from HABs through drinking water, food, and recreational activities, making HAB toxins contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). The impact of HAB toxins on women’s reproductive health, however, remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of microcystin-LR (MC-LR), the most common HAB toxin, on the ovary, the female gonad, and associated ovarian functions. The results of a chronic daily oral mouse exposure model and an acute exposure using the mouse superovulation model revealed that MC-LR accumulated in the ovary and environmentally-relevant exposure to MC-LR perturbed follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-dependent follicle maturation to disrupt ovulation and luteinization. Using an ex vivo mouse follicle maturation and ovulation assay and in vitro culture of human primary granulosa cells, mechanistic studies such as the single-follicle RNA sequencing analysis and others elucidated that MC-LR inhibited protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) and interfered with PP1-mediated PI3K/AKT/FOXO1 signaling in granulosa cells, which suppressed follicle maturation, ovulation, luteinization, and progesterone secretion. Together, our study demonstrates that environmentally-relevant exposure to MC-LR acts a PP1 inhibitor to interfere with the PI3K/AKT/FOXO1 signaling in granulosa cells, which disrupts follicle maturation and results in adverse female reproductive outcomes. As a newly identified ovarian endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC), exposure to MC-LR poses a serious threat to women’s reproductive health and fertility.
Project description:The process of ovulation includes oocyte meiotic maturation, follicle rupture and transformation of the follicle into a corpus luteum. These events are initiated by the midcycle surge of gonadotropins and require the coordinated regulation of thousands of genes. The aim of the study was to monitor the changes in granulosa cell gene expression across five different time points during the first 36 hours of ovulation until follicle rupture, in order to increase our understanding of the events of human ovulation. We conducted a prospective cohort study including women undergoing ovarian stimulation for fertility treatment. Women were treated in a standard antagonist protocol with individually dosed human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) or recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH). Ovulation was induced with either recombinant hCG (rhCG) or gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GNRHa). The granulosa cells were collected by transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicle puncture of one follicle at two specific time points during ovulation (repeated measurements), and the study covered a total of five time points: before ovulation induction (OI), 12, 17, 32 and 36 hours after OI.