title: Identification of differentially expressed proteins in the ovaries of menopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated proteins differentially expressed in the ovaries of menopausal women in comparison to childbearing women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Differential protein expression was screened by difference gel electrophoresis and 2-D SDS-PAGE. Four differentially expressed proteins were excised manually, identified by mass spectrometry and confirmed by immunoblot and immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The four proteins were identified as serum amyloid P, heat shock protein 27, Glyoxalase I and Ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase. Serum amyloid P expression was significantly up-regulated in the ovaries of menopausal women by immunoblot analysis (p < 0.05), Glyoxalase I and Ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase displayed an altered expression pattern, with higher expression in the atretic follicles of menopausal women. Weak Glyoxalase I and Ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase were observed in the granulosa and theca cells of the follicles of childbearing women. Heat shock protein 27 and serum amyloid P were clearly observed in the atretic follicles of menopausal women, while their expression was restricted to the theca cells and cytoplasm of primordial follicles in the ovaries of childbearing women. All four proteins were predominantly expressed in the atretic follicles of menopausal women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that the identified proteins may play a role in the regulation of follicle atresia in menopausal women, although their functions and mechanism warrant further investigation.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science, Jilin University, 5333 Xi'an Road, Changchun, 130062, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Li-Qun
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao-Na
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Xiao-Bo
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Li-Sheng
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Bao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Jia-Bao
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005496:Follicular Atresia; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007791:Lactoylglutathione Lyase / Q000378:metabolism*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000378:metabolism; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism*; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component / Q000378:metabolism*; D013799:Theca Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D057825:Two-Dimensional Difference Gel Electrophoresis; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase; C000597196:GLO1 protein, human; D007791:Lactoylglutathione Lyase