Gonadotropin regulation of genes differentially expressed in response to PKCzeta inhibitor during ovulation in the rat.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to characterize genes regulated by protein kinase C PKCzeta inhibitor in the preovulatory granulosa cells following LH stimulation in the rat ovary.


METHODS
Annealing control primer (ACP)-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was used to identify differentially expressed genes in granulosa cells of preovulatory follicles cultured in the presence of luteinizing hormone (LH) and myristoylated PKCzeta pseudosubstrate peptide or a similarly sized control peptide.


RESULTS
Among the 16 genes identified, five (testin, glypican-4, retrovirus SC1, aminolevulinic acid synthase 1 and serum-inducible kinase) experienced rapid and transient stimulation of gene expression upon exposure to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the ovary of immature rats primed with pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG). In situ hybridization analysis revealed that hCG administration induced expression of these five genes in granulosa cells of preovulatory follicles. The Western analysis showed that the protein levels of testin and serum-inducible kinase were also increased by hCG. Expression of the eleven remaining genes in the ovary remained high at 24-72 h following hCG treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The present data demonstrate the gonadotropin stimulation of genes differentially expressed by PKCzeta inhibitor, implicating that PKCzeta pathway possibly plays a role in controlling the ovulation process.
Seo
You-Mi
YM
Hormone Research Center and School of Biological Sciences & Technology, Chonnam National University, Kwangju 500-712, Republic of Korea.
Park
Jae-Ii
JI
Jeon
Mi-Jin
MJ
Park
Eung-Woo
EW
Park
Jin-Ki
JK
Lee
Hwi-Cheul
HC
Chang
Won-Kyong
WK
Chun
Sang-Young
SY
D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects*; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D000099221:Protein Kinase C zeta
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; C490392:Prkcz protein, rat; D000099221:Protein Kinase C zeta