Altered expression of angiogenic factors in dominant preovulatory follicles of dairy cattle treated with ACTH

GASSER, FÁTIMA BELÉN; STASSI, ANTONELA FLORENCIA; LUJAN VELÁZQUEZ, MELISA MARÍA DEL; ETCHEVERS, LUCAS; AMWEG, AYELÉN NOELIA; SALVETTI, NATALIA RAQUEL; ORTEGA, HUGO HÉCTOR; BARAVALLE, MARÍA EUGENIA

ANIMAL REPRODUCTION SCIENCE

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Año: 2024 vol. 262

0378-4320

Studies in cows have reported that ovulation, steroidogenesis and angiogenesis are affected bystress and consequently fertility decreases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects ofACTH administration during the preovulatory period on the expression of growth factors (CD-31,PDGF-A, PDGF-B, VEGFA-164, VEGFA-164b, VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2) associated with theangiogenic process by immunohistochemistry in cows (n = 14). Results evidenced the expressionof these growth factors in theca and granulosa cells from antral, atretic and dominant preovulatoryfollicles of ACTH-treated cows, suggesting that, under stress conditions, their expressioncontinues to be required. VEGFA-164, VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2 expression was greater in thecacells of dominant preovulatory follicles of the ACTH-treated group than in those of the controlgroup. CD-31 protein expression was lower in the dominant preovulatory follicles of the ACTHtreated group than in those of the control group. PDGF-A and PDGF-B expression did not differbetween groups, either in granulosa or in theca cells. These results suggest that VEGFA-164, itsreceptors and CD-31 are actors in the normal cycle of the ovaries and could have greater pathophysiological importance in the altered angiogenic process and other events that occur duringanovulation and stress conditions. This dysregulation reinforces the importance of the angiogenicprocess in the pathophysiology of cystic ovarian disease in cows. This is the first report on theexpression and localization of components of the VEGF and PDGF systems and CD-31 in cells fromdominant preovulatory follicles after ACTH administration.