Follicular fluid lipoproteins in preovulatory period and their relationship with follicular maturation and progesterone production by human granulosa-luteal cells in vivo and in vitro.
Follicular fluid (FF) lipoprotein content was evaluated in an in vitro fertilization/embryo transfer and gamete--intrafallopian--transfer program and correlated to follicular and oocyte maturation. Moreover, the in vitro progesterone response of granulosa-luteal cells from 10 patients to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was assessed. Most FFs contained only HDL. Sixteen out of 97 FFs contained also very low levels of LDL and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). The presence of LDL was associated to features of follicle and oocyte hypermaturity. LDL alone induced a much more potent increase of progesterone (P) release by granulosa-luteal cells than HDL alone, and the HDL partially reversed the potent effect of LDL. It is concluded that in late follicular phase HDL maintains P release by granulosa cells at a low rate and prevents a potent stimulation of P production by LDL which might cross the maturating blood-follicle barrier, until increasing passage of LDL in FF decreases the HDL:LDL ratio and the action of LDL becomes prominent.
Volpe
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A
Dipartimento di Ostetricia e Ginecologia, Università di Modena, Italy.
Coukos
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G
Uccelli
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Droghini
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F
Adamo
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R
Artini
P G
PG
D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D015181:Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000378:metabolism; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL / Q000378:metabolism; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000502:physiology*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000502:physiology*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D008074:Lipoproteins; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL; D011374:Progesterone