title: Anti-Müllerian hormone is produced heterogeneously in primate preantral follicles and is a potential biomarker for follicle growth and oocyte maturation in vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main goals of this study were to investigate the expression of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and its receptor (AMHR2) during follicular development in primates, and to evaluate the potential of AMH as a biomarker for follicle growth and oocyte maturation in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mRNA and protein expression of AMH and AMHR2 were determined using isolated follicles and ovarian sections from rhesus macaques (n = 4) by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Isolated secondary follicles were cultured individually. Follicle growth and media AMH concentrations were assessed by ELISA. The mRNA expression profiles, obtained from RNA sequencing, of in vitro- and in vivo-developed antral follicles were compared. Secondary follicles from additional animals (n = 35) were cultured. Follicle growth, oocyte maturation, and media AMH concentrations were evaluated for forecasting follicular development in vitro by AMH levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AMH immunostaining was heterogeneous in the population of preantral follicles that were also stained for AMHR2. The mRNA expression profiles were comparable between in vivo- and in vitro-developed follicles. AMH levels produced by growing follicles were higher than those of nongrowing follicles in culture. With a cutoff value of 1.40 ng/ml, 85 % of nongrowing follicles could be identified while eliminating only 5 % of growing follicles. Growing follicles that generated metaphase II-stage oocytes secreted greater amounts of AMH than did those yielding immature germinal vesicle-stage oocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AMH, co-expressed with AMHR2, was produced heterogeneously by preantral follicles in macaques with levels correlated positively with follicle growth and oocyte maturation. AMH may serve as a biomarker for primate follicular development in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA. xujin@ohsu.edu.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA. xujin@ohsu.edu.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA.
authors.forename: Fuhua
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA.
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Letaw
authors.affiliation: OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
authors.forename: Byung S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Integrated Genomics Laboratory, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Searles
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA.
authors.forename: Betsy M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Ferguson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D059471:In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D009865:Oocytes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D009866:Oogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D018000:Receptors, Peptide / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018000:Receptors, Peptide; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; C084621:anti-Mullerian hormone receptor; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone
keywords: Anti-Müllerian hormone; Antral follicle; Preantral follicle; RNA sequencing; Three-dimensional follicle culture