title: Influence of ω-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid on IGF-1 and COX-2 gene expression in granulosa cells of PCOS women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is currently used in the clinic as a nutritional supplement to improve infertility, particularly in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study was designed to investigate the effect of EPA on insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) gene expression in primary cultured granulosa cells from patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), and also to compare this effect with those in granulosa cells of PCOS patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this experimental study, human granulosa cells were isolated from follicular fluid of normal and PCOS women undergoing IVF by hyaluronidase digestions, followed by Percoll gradient centrifugation. Cells were cultured in vitro, exposed to a range of concentrations of the EPA (25-100 µM) for 24 hr, and investigated with respect to COX-2 and IGF-1 gene expression by real time-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both groups, all doses of the EPA significantly induced IGF-1 mRNA gene expression compared to the untreated control. High doses of EPA in the presence of recombinant (r) FSH produced a stimulatory effect on IGF-1 and a suppressive effect (p=0.01) on the COX-2 gene expression, which were more pronounced in granulosa cells from PCOS patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EPA affect diversely the gene expression of IGF-1 and COX-2 in granulosa cells, which were more pronounced in PCOS compared to control. These findings represent the possible underlying molecular mechanisms for the positive impact of the ω-3 fatty acids on reproduction, especially in patients with PCOS.
authors.affiliation: Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Al-zahra Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Vahideh
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shahnazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Laboratories, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaree
authors.affiliation: Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Al-zahra Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nouri
authors.affiliation: Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Al-zahra Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahzad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehrzad-Sadaghiani
authors.affiliation: Students Research Committee, Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shabnam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fayezi
authors.affiliation: Drug Applied Research Center of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Darabi
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology , Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Sajjad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khani
authors.affiliation: Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Al-zahra Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Darabi
keywords: Cyclooxygenase 2; Eicosapentaenoic acid; Granulosa cells; Insulin-like growth factor 1; Polycystic ovary syndrome