title: Characterization of Porcine Granulosa Cell Line AVG-16.
abstract: Commercially available, but not yet characterized, the AVG-16 granulosa cell line was established from granulosa cells of medium porcine follicles. To examine the suitability of the AVG-16 cell line for studying the molecular mechanism of action of various environmental oestrogens, we investigated: 1/ cell morphology (by standard haematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining); 2/ basal and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) or luteinizing hormone (LH)-stimulated steroid hormone (progesterone; P4 and 17β-oestradiol; E2) secretion (by radioimmunoassay) and 3/ expression of receptors involved in the regulation of granulosa cell function: FSH receptor (FSHR), LH receptor (LHR), oestrogen receptor α (ERα), oestrogen receptor β (ERβ) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). mRNA and protein expression was determined by RT-PCR and fluorescence immunocytochemistry, respectively. The secretion of P4 and E2 by AVG-16 cells was in the range of steroid hormone secretion by porcine cultured primary granulosa cells. Neither FSH (100 ng/ml) nor LH (100 ng/ml) affected P4 and E2 secretion by AVG-16 cells. The presence of FSHR and LHR at both mRNA and protein level was not demonstrated in the cells. However, AVG-16 cells were found to express mRNA and protein of ERα, ERβ and AhR. The results of our study showed that AVG-16 cells possess the capability of steroid hormone production, and both oestrogen receptors and AhR are present in these cells. Therefore, AVG-16 cells may serve as an unlimited source of homogenous porcine granulosa cells useful for studying the effects of environmental oestrogens on ovarian physiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Physiology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sadowska
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nynca
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Physiology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korzeniewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piasecka-Srader
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jablonska
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Orlowska
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Swigonska
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Ciereszko
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011962:Receptors, FSH / Q000378:metabolism; D011974:Receptors, LH / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011962:Receptors, FSH; D011974:Receptors, LH