Characterization of cytoskeletal proteins in follicular structures of cows with Cystic Ovarian Disease.

ORTEGA HH; SALVETTI NR; MÜLLER LA; AMABLE P; LORENTE JA; BARBEITO CG; GIMENO EJ

JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE PATHOLOGY

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2007 vol. 136 p. 222 - 230

0021-9975

The distribution of intermediate filaments (vimentin, cytokeratins, desmin) and microfilaments (a-smooth muscle actin and muscle specific actin) were studied in bovine ovaries, with and without cystic ovarian disease (COD), by immunohistochemical methods. The immunohistochemical stained area (IHCSA), was quantified by image analysis, to evaluate the expression of these cytoskeletal proteins in the follicular wall of healthy antral, atretic, and cystic follicles in cows. The granulosa cell layer of cystic follicles had a significantly larger IHCSA for vimentin compared with healthy antral follicles. This difference was also significant between atretic and antral follicles. Cytokeratins  reacted lightly in the granulosa cells of antral follicles of normal ovaries, whereas granulosa cells of atretic and cystic follicles showed significantly higher IHCSA. Immunohistochemical localization of desmin, muscle specific actin, and a-smooth muscle actin was restricted to the theca externa. This study supports earlier observations suggesting that  strongly positive reaction with vimentin and cytokeratins antibodies observed in the granulosa cells of cystic follicles  are due to the reorganization that occurs in the follicle during the process of cystic development and  are associated with changes in the expression of cytoskeletal proteins that  are essential to proper cellular functioning.