Expression and biological effects of bone morphogenetic protein-15 in the hen ovary.
The bone morphogenetic protein 15 (Bmp15) and growth differentiation factor 9 (Gdf9) genes are two members of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily. In mammals, these genes are known to be specifically expressed in oocytes and to be essential for female fertility. However, potential ovarian roles of BMPs remain unexplored in birds. The aim of the present work was to study for the first time the expression of Bmp15 in the hen ovary, to compare its expression pattern with that of Gdf9, and then to investigate the effects of BMP15 on granulosa cell (GC) proliferation and steroidogenesis. We found that chicken Bmp15 and Gdf9 genes were preferentially expressed in the ovary. We showed using in situ hybridization that Bmp15 and Gdf9 mRNAs were specifically localized in oocytes of all ovarian follicles examined. We also demonstrated using real-time quantitative RT-PCR that Bmp15 and Gdf9 expression was maintained during hierarchical follicular maturation in the gerrminal disc region and then progressively declined after ovulation. BMP15 was able to activate Smad1 (mothers against decapentaplegichomolog1) signaling pathway in hen GCs. Moreover, we showed a strong inhibitory effect of BMP15 on gonadotropin-induced progesterone production in hen GCs. This inhibitory effect was associated with a decrease in steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR) level. Taken together, our results suggest that BMP15 may have a key role in the female fertility of birds.
Elis
S
S
Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, UMR 6175 INRA-CNRS-Université F Rabelais de Tours, Haras Nationaux, 37380 Nouzilly, France.
Dupont
J
J
Couty
I
I
Persani
L
L
Govoroun
M
M
Blesbois
E
E
Batellier
F
F
Monget
P
P
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D055430:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15; D002417:Cattle; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase; D015870:Gene Expression; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D055429:Growth Differentiation Factor 9; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009865:Oocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010053:Ovary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D051898:Smad1 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D015027:Zebrafish; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
C525901:BMP15 protein, human; C525902:Bmp15 protein, mouse; C525904:Bmp15 protein, rat; D055430:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15; C525897:GDF9 protein, human; C525898:Gdf9 protein, mouse; C525899:Gdf9 protein, rat; D055429:Growth Differentiation Factor 9; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051898:Smad1 Protein; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein; D011374:Progesterone