Rapid and transient upregulation of CCL11 (eotaxin-1) in mouse ovary during terminal stages of follicular development.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate the regulation of expression, localization and physiological role of the CCL11/CCR3 axis in mouse ovary during the periovulatory period.


METHODS
CCL11/CCR3 expression in the mouse ovary after treatment with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) followed by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) 48 hr later was assessed in vivo and in 3-dimensional cultures in vitro.


RESULTS
Real-time RT-PCR analyses revealed transient CCL11 mRNA upregulation 6 hr after hCG treatment. Immunohistochemical staining of serial ovarian sections demonstrated overlapping expression of CCL11, CCR3 and CD31 endothelial cell marker in the theca-interstitial layer at 10 hr after hCG treatment. In vitro 3-dimensional cultures of periovulatory ovarian tissues demonstrated that treatment with anti-CCL11 neutralizing antibody significantly decreased CD31 transcript.


CONCLUSIONS
Gonadotropin surge leads to transient CCL11/CCR3 axis upregulation in the ovarian theca-interstitial layer, suggesting that it is involved in periovulatory physiological processes by affecting follicular vessels.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. kuwa@nms.ac.jp
Yoshimitsu
Y
Kuwabara
Akira
A
Katayama
Tsutomu
T
Igarashi
Ryoko
R
Tomiyama
Hua
H
Piao
Reika
R
Kaneko
Takashi
T
Abe
Katsuya
K
Mine
Shigeo
S
Akira
Hideo
H
Orimo
Toshiyuki
T
Takeshita
D000818:Animals; D054413:Chemokine CCL11 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D054397:Receptors, CCR3 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013799:Theca Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D015854:Up-Regulation
C515457:Ccl11 protein, mouse; C515351:Ccr3 protein, mouse; D054413:Chemokine CCL11; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054397:Receptors, CCR3; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha