Mecanismo de acción de las gonadotrofinas sobre el ovario bovino y su participación en la enfermedad quística ovárica

MARELLI BE; DÍAZ PU; AMWEG AN; REY F; SALVETTI NR; ORTEGA HH

Revista Fave Ciencias Veterinarias

UNL

Año: 2013

1666-938X

Follicular growth and steroidogenesis are dependent on the coordinated actions of gonadotropins and their receptors in granulosa and theca cells of ovarian follicles. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression patterns of follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHCGR) in ovarian follicular structures from cows with cystic ovarian disease (COD) as compared with those in ovarian structures from regularly cycling cows. Relative real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of FSHR mRNA in the granulosa cells was highest in small antral follicles, then decreased significantly as follicles increased in size, and was lowest in cysts. FSHR mRNA was not detected in the theca cells of any follicular category, including cysts. LHCGR mRNA expression in granulosa cells was significantly higher in large antral follicles than in cysts, and not detected in granulosa cells of small and medium antral follicles. In theca cells, the expression level of LHCGR mRNA in medium antral follicles was higher than in small and large antral follicles, whereas that in follicular cysts was similar to that in small and medium antral follicles, but higher than that in large antral follicles. Our findings provide evidence that an altered gonadotropin receptor expression may be present in bovine cystic follicles, and suggest that in conditions characterized by altered ovulation, such as COD, changes in the signaling system of gonadotropins could play a fundamental role in their pathogenesis.