title: Altered Stem Cell Receptor Activity in the Ovarian Surface Epithelium by Exogenous Zinc and/or Progesterone.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) has the characteristics of a stem cell and the potential for differentiation. Previous studies on this subject have succeeded in deriving oocytes from OSE stem cells, leading to the belief that OSE could be used for infertility treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each rat (n = 10) was subjected to zinc and/or progesterone injection for 5 days after conception. After a 6-day implantation period, ovarian tissues were removed and comprehensive immunohistochemical analysis of stem cell markers was conducted: Sox2, Klf4, Oct3/4, c-Myc, CD117, CD90, SSEA-1 and Notch pathway analysis; Notch1, Jagged1, and Delta1 in the OSE and ovarian stromal cells were evaluated after treatment with zinc, progesterone, or both.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Progesterone moderately affected Sox2 expression (p < 0.001), while zinc application strongly affected Klf4 and Oct3/4 and immunoreactivity (p < 0.001). CD90 immunoreactivity was decreased in the OSE and stroma of the progesterone group (p = 0.006) compared with the zinc (p = 0.244) and zinc/progesterone groups (p = 0.910). On the other hand, SSEA-1 showed moderate staining in the OSE and weak staining in stromal cells in animals treated with zinc (p = 0.727), progesterone (p = 0.626), and zinc/progesterone (p = 0.371), with no differences compared with control. Zinc application affected Notch pathway immunoreactivity, with a significant increase in Notch1 (p = 0.0015) and Jagged1 (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of putative stem cell markers in the OSE was verified and stem cell receptor activity was raised in the OSE and ovarian stromal cells by zinc and progesterone. Thus, this increased expression allows the therapeutic use of zinc and progesterone in ovary-related infertility and brings a different perspective to reproductive medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oktem
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: O Y
authors.initials: OY
authors.lastname: Dilsiz
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Demiray
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: E N T
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Goker
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tavmergen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D000090062:Kruppel-Like Factor 4; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C000715469:Klf4 protein, rat; D000090062:Kruppel-Like Factor 4; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D011374:Progesterone; D015032:Zinc