title: Differential regulation of steroidogenesis by bone morphogenetic proteins in granulosa cells: involvement of extracellularly regulated kinase signaling and oocyte actions in follicle-stimulating hormone-induced estrogen production.
abstract: In the present study, we investigated the cellular mechanism by which oocytes and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) govern FSH-induced steroidogenesis using rat primary granulosa cells. BMP-6 and BMP-7 both inhibited FSH- and forskolin (FSK)-induced progesterone synthesis and reduced cAMP synthesis independent of the presence or absence of oocytes. BMP-7 also increased FSH-induced estradiol production, and the response was further augmented in the presence of oocytes. In contrast, BMP-6 had no impact on estradiol synthesis regardless of the presence of oocytes. Because BMP-7 changed neither FSK- nor cAMP-induced estradiol production, the BMP-7 action was mediated through a FSH receptor signaling mechanism that was independent of cAMP-protein kinase A pathway. Treatment with FSH but not cAMP activated ERK1/2 phosphorylation in granulosa cells, which was further accelerated by oocytes. A specific ERK inhibitor, U0126, increased estradiol production and decreased FSH- and FSK-induced progesterone production and cAMP synthesis. This suggests that ERK activation is directly linked to inhibition of estradiol synthesis and amplification of cAMP. Moreover, FSH-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation was inhibited by BMP-7 but not influenced by BMP-6. In contrast, BMP signaling including Smad1/5/8 phosphorylation and Id-1 transcription was up-regulated by FSH and oocytes in granulosa cells through inhibition of Smad6/7 expression. Collectively, oocytes enhance FSH-induced MAPK activation and BMP signaling in granulosa cells, which leads to differential regulation of steroidogenesis elicited by BMPs in the presence of FSH in developing follicles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama City, 700-8558, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inagaki
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.forename: Masaya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Jiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogura
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Makino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055418:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 6; D055419:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000166:cytology; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C525818:Bmp6 protein, rat; C525821:Bmp7 protein, rat; D055418:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 6; D055419:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D004967:Estrogens; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3