Estrogen Receptors alpha and beta and Progesterone Receptors in Ovarian Follicles of Cows with Cystic Ovarian Disease

SALVETTI NR; MULLER LA; ACOSTA JC; GIMENO JE; ORTEGA HH

VETERINARY PATHOLOGY

AMER COLL VET PATHOLOGIST

Año: 2007 vol. 44 p. 373 - 378

0300-9858

The purpose of this study was to determine the expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors in ovarian follicular structures from cows with cystic ovarian disease, and to compare these with normal ovarian structures by immunohistochemistry. Secondary, tertiary, atretic, and cystic follicles were evaluated. Estrogen receptor á was expressed in the cellular nuclei of granulosa, theca interna and theca externa layers of all follicular categories studied. The follicular cysts of animals with the disease presented a significantly higher expression of this protein in all follicular layers than secondary, tertiary, and atretic follicles in both groups (p<0.05). Estrogen receptor â was detected in the nuclei of granulosa, theca interna and theca externa of all follicles studied, although the intensity of this isoform in the granulosa cell layer was stronger in tertiary than in secondary and atretic follicles in normal animals (p<0.05) and in growing and cystic follicles in animals with cystic ovarian disease (p<0.05). Theca cells were scarcely stained in the two groups, but growing follicles and cysts from animals with the disease were less stained than tertiary follicles from normal animals (p<0.05). Progesterone receptor protein was observed in different ovarian cell groups but differences did not exist in this regard between the two studied groups. Ovaries of animals with COD exhibited altered estrogen receptors expression compared with that in normal animals. Further studies are necessary to fully understand and appreciate the implications of these observations.