Immunohistochemical localization of inhibin/activin subunits in the wild ground squirrel (Citellus dauricus Brandt) ovary.
The intraovarian function of gonadally produced inhibin and activin has been extensively studied in experimental models for decades, yet their presence and function have been rarely reported in wild rodents. With our seasonal breeding model, the wild ground squirrel, we aimed to investigate the possible roles of these peptides in the seasonal folliculogenesis. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting have been used to detect the cellular localization and expression patterns of inhibin/activin subunits (α, β(A) and β(B)). In the breeding season ovary, all three subunits were present in granulosa cells, theca cells of antral follicles and interstitial cells, with the strongest immunostaining in granulosa cells. Following ovulation, the corpora lutea become a major site of inhibin/activin synthesis. In the nonbreeding season ovary, inhibin/activin α and β(A) subunits were weakly immunopositive in granulosa cells of early stage follicles, while β(B) subunit was undetectable. The expression level of inhibin/activin subunit proteins were generally higher in the ovaries of the breeding season, and then decreased to a relatively low level during the nonbreeding season. The dynamic expression of inhibin/activin subunits indicated that they might play important paracrine and/or autocrine roles during the seasonal folliculogenesis of the wild ground squirrel.
College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, PR China.
Xia
X
Sheng
Jiaju
J
Weng
Haolin
H
Zhang
Xiaonan
X
Li
Mengyuan
M
Zhang
Meiyu
M
Xu
Qiang
Q
Weng
Gen
G
Watanabe
Kazuyoshi
K
Taya
D028341:Activins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000502:physiology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002681:China; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits / Q000378:metabolism*; D007265:Inhibins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009866:Oogenesis; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000378:metabolism; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000378:metabolism; D012589:Sciuridae / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons; D013799:Theca Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
D021122:Protein Subunits; C094377:inhibin-alpha subunit; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits