Requirement of the Fas ligand-expressing luteal immune cells for regression of corpus luteum.
Apoptosis in corpus luteum (CL) is induced by prolactin (PRL) in female rats. PRL-induced apoptosis in CL is mediated by the Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) system. The CL consists of steroidogenic and non-steroidogenic cells, including immunocytes. Fas mRNA was detected only in the luteal steroidogenic cells, and FasL mRNA was expressed only by the non-steroidogenic CD3-positive luteal immunocytes. Removing the luteal immune cells from the luteal cells inhibited PRL-induced luteal cell apoptosis effectively. Thus, FasL-expressing non-steroidogenic luteal immunocytes are required for PRL-induced luteal cell apoptosis and heterogeneous induction of apoptosis by Fas/FasL in CL.
Kuranaga
E
E
Department of Veterinary Physiology, Veterinary Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Kanuka
H
H
Furuhata
Y
Y
Yonezawa
T
T
Suzuki
M
M
Nishihara
M
M
Takahashi
M
M
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*
D017252:CD3 Complex; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505662:Faslg protein, rat; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019014:fas Receptor; D011388:Prolactin