title: Hormonal regulation and differential expression of neuropilin (NRP)-1 and NRP-2 genes in bovine granulosa cells.
abstract: Although much is known about the biology of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors, little is known about the role of the VEGF receptors neuropilin (NRP)-1 and NRP-2 in the process of bovine follicle development. The aim of the present study was to examine the hormonal regulation of NRP-1 and NRP-2 mRNAs by real-time PCR in follicles from the bovine ovary and in cultured granulosa cells. The NRP-1 gene was expressed in the granulosa and theca cells in the post-selection (POF) and pre-selection (PRF) follicles in the bovine ovary. In contrast, the NRP-2 gene was expressed only in the theca cells in the POF and the PRF. The level of NRP-1 mRNA was significantly increased by treatment of the cultured granulosa cells with 10 ng/ml estradiol (E2). In contrast, the addition of progesterone (P4) to the culture medium decreased the expression of the NRP-1 gene. The level of NRP-1 mRNA was increased by 10 ng/ml E2 with or without 1 ng/ml P4, but the level of NRP-1 mRNA was decreased if the P4 level was increased to 10 ng/ml, even when 1 ng/ml E2 was also added. Follicle-stimulating hormone did not stimulate the expression of the NRP-1 gene. These results are the first data showing that NRP-1, but not NRP-2, is expressed in the granulosa cells of bovine follicles and that NRP-1 gene expression is regulated by sex steroids. Our findings suggest the involvement of NRP-1 in follicle development in the cow.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Animal and Food Hygiene and Department of Agriculture and Life Science, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan. shimizut@obihiro.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Barana C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Jayawardana
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishimoto
authors.forename: Etsushi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tetsuka
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004958:Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008183:Luteal Phase; D039942:Neuropilin-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D039943:Neuropilin-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D039943:Neuropilin-2; D039942:Neuropilin-1; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol