title: Reduced and delayed expression of GDF9 and BMP15 in ovarian tissues from women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) play crucial roles in follicular development and oocyte maturation. This study aimed to investigate and compare the expression of these proteins in ovarian tissues of women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ovarian tissues from 28 patients with PCOS and 26 normal ovulatory women were collected, and the expression of GDF9 and BMP15 in oocytes and granulosa cells was evaluated via immunohistochemical staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GDF9 and BMP15 were first expressed in primordial follicles at very low levels, and their expression increased gradually with follicular development, reaching the highest levels in Graafian follicles. However, less GDF9 and BMP15 expression was observed in primordial, primary, and secondary follicles in ovarian tissues of PCOS patients compared with levels in the control tissues (P < 0.05). In Graafian follicles, GDF9 and BMP15 expression reached comparable levels in the PCOS and control groups (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of GDF9 and BMP15 in ovarian tissues varies among the developmental stages in both oocytes and granulosa cells in human ovarian tissues. The expression of these proteins is reduced and delayed in the early follicular stage in PCOS ovarian tissues, and these differences in expression may be associated with aberrant follicular development in patients with PCOS.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Research Center, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, 17th Shou-gou-ling Rd, Guangzhou, 510655, China.
authors.forename: Li-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Li-Lin
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D055430:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D055429:Growth Differentiation Factor 9 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C525901:BMP15 protein, human; D055430:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15; C525897:GDF9 protein, human; D055429:Growth Differentiation Factor 9