title: Growth differential factor-9 inhibits testosterone production in mouse theca interstitial cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effect of growth differential factor-9 (GDF-9) alone on cell proliferation, cell viability, steroidogenesis, and hormone-stimulated gene expression in cultured mouse theca interstitial cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Basic research.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immature 3- to 4-week-old SPF KM mice obtained from the Laboratory Animal Center of Sun Yat-Sen University.
  
  
  METHODS
  Addition of GDF-9 at different dosages to primary culture of mouse theca interstitial cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cell number, cell viability, progesterone and testosterone levels, and hormone-stimulated gene mRNA abundance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Growth differential factor-9 mildly increased the number of mouse theca interstitial cells and cell viability in a dose-dependent manner and mildly inhibited the production of progesterone in mouse theca interstitial cells. Administration of GDF-9 at the dosages of 200 ng/mL and 400 ng/mL resulted in a significant decrease in the testosterone level compared with the control group by 60.42% and 68.76%, respectively. Growth differential factor-9 significantly suppressed Lhcgr mRNA by 47.36%, Cyp11a1 mRNA by 62.30%, and Cyp17a1 mRNA by 55.39%, but had only a mild effect on Star gene expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Growth differential factor-9 can inhibit the production of testosterone in mouse theca interstitial cells and suppress the corresponding gene expression.
authors: Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Ming-hui
authors: MH
authors: Chen
authors: Tao
authors: T
authors: Li
authors: Chen-hui
authors: CH
authors: Ding
authors: Yan-wen
authors: YW
authors: Xu
authors: Lu-yan
authors: LY
authors: Guo
authors: Can-quan
authors: CQ
authors: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D055429:Growth Differentiation Factor 9 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011374:Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D013799:Theca Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
chemical_list: D055429:Growth Differentiation Factor 9; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein; D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme
keywords: Gene expression; growth differential factor-9; hormone; theca