Ghrelin ovarian cell expression in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: an immunohistochemical evaluation.
BACKGROUND
The influence of ghrelin on different organs has been studied recently, e.g. in the regulation of pituitary hormone release, regulation of energy homeostasis, glucose metabolism and insulin secretion, cell proliferation, and reproductive function. However, the etiology of polycystic ovary syndrome has not been fully explained. The aim of our study was to estimate the presence of ghrelin in polycystic ovaries cells and evaluation of the relationship between ghrelin occurrence and cells proliferation.


METHODS
In the present work we have compared ten polycystic ovaries with ovaries without pathology as the control group. We used immunohistochemical method to detect ghrelin. The cells proliferation was evaluated by Ki 67 proliferation index.


RESULTS
Ghrelin immunostaining was demonstrated in cytoplasm of ovarian secondary interstitial cells and in atretic corpus luteum. The cell nuclei were ghrelin positive in granulosa, theca layers of follicular cyst in both groups as well as in luteal cells of young corpus luteum in healthy ovaries. Ki 67 immunostaining was observed in granulosa and theca layers of follicular cyst in polycystic and healthy ovaries.


CONCLUSIONS
It is possible that local ghrelin expression plays an important role in the direct control of ovarian development and function and ghrelin may participate in patomechanism of PCOS.
Komarowska
H
H
Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Medicine, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland. Komar@amp.edu.pl
Waśko
R
R
Iwanik
K
K
Majewski
P
P
Rafińska
L
L
Warenik-Szymankiewicz
A
A
Sowiński
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D054439:Ghrelin; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D054439:Ghrelin; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D036361:Peptide Hormones