title: Gene expression profiles of cumulus cells obtained from women treated with recombinant human luteinizing hormone + recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone or highly purified human menopausal gonadotropin versus recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone alone.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate cumulus cell (CC) expression profile modulation after different stimulation protocols.
  
  
  METHODS
  CCs transcriptome variations were evaluated by microarray in patients undergoing different treatments for ovarian stimulation, namely, r-hLH + r-hFSH and hp-hMG, compared with a control group treated with r-hFSH.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy patients undergoing assisted reproduction protocols.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen healthy women with regular cycles and tubal disease or unexplained infertility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four patients received hp-hMG, four received r-hFSH + r-hLH, and eight received r-hFSH daily. Aspiration of the oocytes was performed 36 hours after hCG administration. Only samples derived from cumulus-oocyte complexes containing mature oocytes showing polar body were processed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparison of genes differentially expressed in both treatment groups with the use of a hierarchic clustering analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data clustering analysis allowed detection of four clusters containing genes differentially expressed in both treatment groups compared with control. Functional analysis of the affected transcripts revealed genes involved in oocyte development and maturation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  r-hLH and hCG, though acting on the same receptor, produce a differential activation of intracellular pathways. It can be hypothesized that this effect depends on their different structures and specific binding affinity for the receptor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Humanities, and Territory Sciences, G. d'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy. v.gatta@unich.it
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gatta
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tatone
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ciriminna
authors.forename: Marilena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vento
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franchi
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: d'Aurora
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sperduti
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cela
authors.forename: Placido
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borzì
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Palermo
authors.forename: Liborio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stuppia
authors.forename: Paolo Giovanni
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Artini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D054885:Cumulus Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D043373:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D054315:Oocyte Retrieval; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D043373:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human; D006062:Gonadotropins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone