title: Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor: presence in human follicular fluid, protein secretion and mRNA expression by ovarian cells.
abstract: In recent years it has become evident that a leukocyte-cytokine network contributes to the paracrine regulation of ovarian function. The objectives of this study were to examine the presence of a potent lympho-haemopoietic cytokine, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), in tissues and fluids from human ovaries. In a prospective study, follicular fluid and plasma were collected from naturally cycling women and women undergoing hyperstimulation for in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Granulosa-lutein cells were collected at the time of oocyte recovery for IVF and corpora lutea were collected at the time of hysterectomy for non-ovarian reasons. Culture supernatants from ovarian cell and tissue cultures were harvested on completion of a 48 h incubation. Immunoactive GM-CSF was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and was found to be present at statistically significantly higher levels in follicular fluid (8.9 +/- 0.7 pg/ml) and plasma (11.3 +/- 0.8 pg/ml) of women undergoing hyperstimulation compared to follicular fluid (5.3 +/- 0.3 pg/ml) and plasma (7.1 +/- 0.5 pg/ml) from naturally cycling women. Immunoactive GM-CSF was also detected in culture supernatants of granulosa-lutein cells (47.6 pg/10(5) cells), early luteal phase corpora lutea (0.52 pg/microgram DNA) and mid-luteal phase corpora lutea (0.98 pg/microgram DNA). Furthermore, transcripts for GM-CSF, and both the alpha and beta subunits of the GM-CSF receptor, were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in granulosa-lutein cell culture preparations and corpora lutea collected during the early, mid- and late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. These results show that GM-CSF is expressed and secreted by cells within the human ovary, and, together with the finding of expression of mRNA for GM-CSF receptor, suggest a role for GM-CSF in the local regulation of ovarian events.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Adelaide, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville, Australia.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jasper
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brännström
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Olofsson
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Petrucco
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Norman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008184:Luteal Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016187:Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016187:Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor