Angiopoietin 1 reduces rat follicular atresia mediated by apoptosis through the PI3K/Akt pathway

F. PARBORELL; ABRAMOVICH D; GRISELDA IRUSTA; M. TESONE

MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR ENDOCRINOLOGY.

ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2011 vol. 22 p. 79 - 87

0303-7207

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the local inhibition ofANGPT1 on steroid production, proliferation and apoptosis of ovarian follicularcells and on the PI3K/AKT pathway. We also examined the effect of ANGPTs onfollicular cell apoptosis and proliferation in early antral follicles (EAFs) inculture. Follicular cells expressing PCNA decreased after ANGPT1 Ab treatment.Moreover, ANGPT1 inhibition increased the levels of active caspase 3 andandrosterone, but decreased estradiol, AKT phosphorylation and the area of smoothmuscle cell actin. In cultured EAFs from prepubertal rats treated withdiethylstilbestrol (DES), ANGPT1 increased PCNA and decreased apoptosis whileANGPT2 reversed these effects. These results show that ANGPT1 alterssteroidogenesis, reduces ovarian apoptosis, and stimulates cell proliferation in antral follicles. ANGPT1 may exert these roles by regulating ovarian vascularstability and/or by a direct effect on follicular cells, possibly involving thePI3K/AKT pathway.