title: Transient expression of progesterone receptor and cathepsin-l in human granulosa cells during the periovulatory period.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study in vivo the progesterone receptor (PR) expression levels in human granulosa cells (GCs) during the periovulatory period and the affect of the protein kinase A (PKA) pathway on PR expression and cathepsin-L expression-activation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University research unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five women of reproductive age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Follicular fluid and GCs obtained from spontaneous cycles before and during the normal luteinizing hormone surge, and samples obtained 36 hours after human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine PR, cathepsin-L messenger RNA (mRNA) analysis via real-time polymerase chain reaction, and protein of PR, cathepsin-L, and PKA in human GCs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Western blot analysis revealed that bands of PR (isoform A) were the most abundant and that mRNA (PR-A and PR-B) have a temporal pattern of expression throughout the periovulatory period. The protein levels of PR and cathepsin-L were up-regulated by hCG. The abundance of PR was diminished in the presence of PKA inhibitor, and cathepsin-L with PR receptor antagonist.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The transient expression of PR in human GCs of the preovulatory follicle suggests that PR and its ligand play a role in the activation of cathepsin-L, which is presumably involved in the degradation of the follicular extracellular matrix during human ovulation.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Maternal and Child Research, IDIMI, and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, San Borja-Arriaran Clinical Hospital, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kohen
authors.forename: Carola
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maldonado
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sierralta
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Villarroel
authors.forename: Jerome F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Strauss
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Devoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western; D056668:Cathepsin L / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D006727:Hormone Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D010060:Ovulation / Q000187:drug effects; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; C534281:CTSL protein, human; D056668:Cathepsin L