title: Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide modulates plasminogen activator expression in rat granulosa cell.
abstract: Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a bioactive peptide isolated from ovine hypothalamus. It has been demonstrated to be transiently expressed in preovulatory follicles and to positively affect several parameters correlated with the ovulatory process. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether PACAP influences the plasminogen/plasmin system in rat ovary. Plasminogen activators (PAs) are serine proteases, modulated by gonadotropins and several peptides in preovulatory follicles, that appear to be involved in ovulation. Granulosa cells obtained from immature eCG-treated rats were cultured for 24 h in the presence of increasing concentrations of PACAP and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). A significant, dose-dependent increase in tissue-type PA (tPA) activity and decrease in urokinase-type (uPA) PA activity were observed in PACAP-treated cells. These effects were exerted at the mRNA level. The use of cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor, suggested that PACAP requires an intermediary protein to decrease uPA-mRNA, but not to induce tPA-mRNA. However, no significant modulation of PAs was observed in the presence of VIP. When granulosa cells were stimulated within the intact follicle (i.e., maintaining the three-dimensional structure and in the presence of the theca cell layers), both PACAP and VIP dose-dependently stimulated tPA. These data suggest that, in addition to the PACAP type I receptor present on granulosa cells, different subtypes of PACAP receptors are present in the different ovarian compartments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Apa
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lanzone
authors.forename: Fiorella
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miceli
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vaccari
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Macchione
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stefanini
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Canipari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000235:genetics; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000235:genetics; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C495403:Adcyap1 protein, rat; D009479:Neuropeptides; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D003513:Cycloheximide; D010960:Plasminogen Activators; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator