title: Expression of gap junctional connexins 26, 32, and 43 mRNA in ovarian preovulatory follicles and corpora lutea in sheep.
abstract: The objective of the current study was to evaluate the expression of connexins (Cx)26, Cx32, and Cx43 mRNA in granulosa and theca cells during the peri-ovulatory period (experiment 1) and in the corpus luteum (CL) during the estrous cycle (experiment 2) and during prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF)-induced luteal regression (experiment 3) in FSH-treated ewes. In experiment 1, Cx26, Cx32, and Cx43 mRNA was expressed in granulosa and theca cells, and expression of Cx32 and Cx43 mRNA, but not Cx26, was greater (p<0.001) in granulosa than in theca cells throughout the peri-ovulatory period. Expression of Cx43 mRNA in granulosa and theca cells decreased (p<0.01) 24 h after hCG treatment. In experiment 2, expression of Cx26 mRNA in the CL tended to be greater (p<0.06) on day 10 than on days 5 or 15, but expression of Cx43 mRNA was greater (p<0.01) on day 5 than on days 10 and 15 of the estrous cycle. In experiment 3, expression of Cx26, but not Cx32 or Cx43 mRNA decreased (p<0.001) during PGF-induced luteal regression. In all 3 experiments, expression of Cx32 mRNA was much less than Cx26 and Cx43 mRNA. Moreover, Cx32 mRNA expression was unchanged during the peri-ovulatory period or during several stages of luteal development and PGF-induced regression of the CL. Thus, we have shown that the mRNA expression pattern of Cx26 and Cx43 changes during peri-ovulatory period and during several stages of the luteal development. This suggests that Cx26 and Cx43 play a role in ovarian tissue remodeling during the critical time around ovulation and throughout luteal tissue growth, differentiation, and regression in sheep.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Range Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105, USA.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Borowczyk
authors.forename: Mary Lynn
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Jerzy J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bilski
authors.forename: Pawel P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Borowicz
authors.forename: Dale A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Redmer
authors.forename: Lawrence P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Anna T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Grazul-Bilska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003008:Cloprostenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D000072259:Connexin 26; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017630:Connexins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D015342:DNA Probes; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000378:metabolism*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012756:Sheep; D000097002:Gap Junction beta-1 Protein
chemical_list: D003008:Cloprostenol; D000072259:Connexin 26; D018031:Connexin 43; D017630:Connexins; D015342:DNA Probes; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000097002:Gap Junction beta-1 Protein