Involvement of nitric oxide and the ovarian blood follicle barrier in murine follicular cyst development.
OBJECTIVE
To test the involvement of nitric oxide in murine ovarian follicular cysts.


METHODS
Controlled animal study.


METHODS
Academic research environment.


METHODS
Immature female B6D2F1 mice at 23 +/- 2 days old. Ovarian cysts were induced by implanting miniosmotic pumps that delivered and maintained constant levels of hCG. Nitric oxide studies included the delivery of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), or N(G)-nitro-D-arginine methyl ester, by the same method. Ovulation assays measured cumulus oocyte complexes and blood follicle barrier (BFB) function.


RESULTS
Chronic treatment with hCG induced enlarged ovaries containing multiple follicular cysts, which were approximately double the size of follicles in sham-operated mice. These cysts enclosed few, if any granulosa cells, secreted high levels of testosterone, and had impaired ovarian BFB function. Inhibition of NOS by L-NAME during ovarian cyst formation reduced the size of follicular cysts, sustained normal testosterone levels, and maintained hormonal BFB reactivity in cystic follicles.


CONCLUSIONS
Nitric oxide was found to be involved in the formation of hCG-induced murine follicular cysts and complications associated with these cysts were ameliorated by the NOS inhibitor L-NAME.
Nemade
Rashmi V
RV
Graduate Program in Molecular and Developmental Biology, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA.
Carrette
Odile
O
Larsen
William J
WJ
Markoff
Edith
E
D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000378:metabolism; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005497:Follicular Cyst / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000187:drug effects; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D013739:Testosterone; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester