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Effects of recombinant activin A on in vitro culture of mouse preantral follicles
Author(s) -
Smitz Johan,
Cortvrindt Rita,
Hu Yanxin,
Vanderstichele Hugo
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
molecular reproduction and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1098-2795
pISSN - 1040-452X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-2795(199807)50:3<294::aid-mrd5>3.0.co;2-e
Subject(s) - follistatin , biology , endocrinology , medicine , follicle , folliculogenesis , gonadotropin , ovarian follicle , follicle stimulating hormone , human chorionic gonadotropin , antral follicle , recombinant dna , ovary , andrology , hormone , luteinizing hormone , embryo , embryogenesis , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , gene
Activins are part of the intragonadal factors that can modulate the actions of gonadotropins and regulate cellular functions during preantral or early antral stages of folliculogenesis in vivo. In a mouse early preantral follicle culture system, activin A production was measured and recombinant bovine activin A (r‐ACT A) was added (10 or 50 ng/ml) to recombinant follicle‐stimulating hormone (r‐FSH)–supplemented (10 or 100 mIU/ml) medium for a 12‐day culture period. Specificity of activin A action was ascertained by addition of recombinant human follistatin (r‐FS; 20 or 100 ng/ml). Immunoreactive activin A concentrations in mouse follicle–conditioned medium increased by a factor of 20–50, reaching concentrations from 2 to 5 ng/ml at end of culture. In the initial days of culture, additions of r‐ACT A to r‐FSH‐supplemented medium provoked a dramatic volumetric increase and earlier attachment of the follicle. A dose of 100 ng/ml r‐FS was able to block the actions of 10 ng/ml but not those caused by 50 ng/ml r‐ACT A. In follicle cultures supplemented with 10 mIU/ml r‐FSH, additions of r‐ACT induced a dose‐dependent inhibin (INH) and estradiol (E 2 ) increase. Basal and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)–induced progesterone (P) production were not influenced by r‐ACT A or r‐FS additions. Addition of r‐ACT A decreased ( P = 0.017) the intact follicle survival rate and had no influence on final oocyte diameter. In cultures supplemented by 10 mIU/ml r‐FSH, additions of r‐ACT A did not influence progression and resumption of meiosis I. Use of a higher r‐FSH supplementation dose (100 mIU/ml) tended to affect meiosis I adversely ( P = 0.052), and r‐ACT A addition amplified this effect significantly ( P = 0.007). These in vitro experiments demonstrate pronounced effects from r‐ACT on r‐FSH‐mediated follicle survival, growth, and estrogen biosynthesis. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 50:294–304, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.