title: mRNA expression pattern of gonadotropin receptors in bovine follicular cysts.
abstract: Follicular growth and steroidogenesis are dependent on gonadotropin binding to their receptors in granulosa and theca cells of ovarian follicles. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression patterns of follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHCGR) in ovarian follicular structures from cows with cystic ovarian disease (COD) as compared with those of regularly cycling cows. Relative real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of FSHR mRNA in granulosa cells was highest in small antral follicles, then decreased significantly as follicles increased in size, and was lowest in cysts. FSHR mRNA was not detected in the theca cells of any follicular category, including cysts. LHCGR mRNA expression in granulosa cells was significantly higher in large antral follicles than in cysts, and not detected in granulosa cells of small and medium antral follicles. In theca cells, the expression level of LHCGR mRNA in medium antral follicles was higher than in small and large antral follicles, whereas that in follicular cysts it was similar to those in small and medium antral follicles, but higher than that in large antral follicles. Our findings provide evidence that there is an altered gonadotropin receptor expression in bovine cystic follicles, and suggest that in conditions characterized by altered ovulation, such as COD, changes in the signaling system of gonadotropins may play a fundamental role in their pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Argentina; Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICiVet-Litoral), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, (CONICET), Argentina.
authors.forename: Belkis E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Marelli
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Argentina; Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICiVet-Litoral), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, (CONICET), Argentina.
authors.forename: Pablo U
authors.initials: PU
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Argentina; Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICiVet-Litoral), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, (CONICET), Argentina.
authors.forename: Natalia R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Salvetti
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Argentina; Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICiVet-Litoral), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, (CONICET), Argentina.
authors.forename: Florencia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rey
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Argentina; Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICiVet-Litoral), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, (CONICET), Argentina. Electronic address: hhortega@fcv.unl.edu.ar.
authors.forename: Hugo H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Ortega
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005497:Follicular Cyst / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011962:Receptors, FSH / Q000378:metabolism*; D011974:Receptors, LH / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011962:Receptors, FSH; D011974:Receptors, LH
keywords: Cow; Cystic ovary; FSH; Gonadotropin receptors; LH