title: Involvement of nitric oxide and the ovarian blood follicle barrier in murine follicular cyst development.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Molecular and Developmental Biology, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA.
authors.forename: Rashmi V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Nemade
authors.forename: Odile
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Carrette
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Markoff
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D013739:Testosterone; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester