title: Effect of Vitamin D3 on Biosynthesis of Estrogen in Porcine Granulosa Cells via Modulation of Steroidogenic Enzymes.
abstract: Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble secosteroid responsible for enhancing intestinal absorption of calcium, iron, and other materials. Vitamin D3 deficiency, therefore, can cause health problems such as metabolic diseases, and bone disorder. Female sex hormones including estrogen and progesterone are biosynthesized mainly in the granulosa cells of ovary. In this study, we isolated granulosa cells from porcine ovary and cultured for the experiments. In order to examine the effect of vitamin D3 on the ovarian granulosa cells, the mRNA and protein levels of genes were analyzed by real-time PCR and Western blot assay. The production of estrogen from the granulosa cells was also measured by the ELISA assay. Genes associated with follicle growth were not significantly altered by vitamin D3. However, it increases expression of genes involved in the estrogen-biosynthesis. Further, estrogen concentrations in porcine granulosa cell-cultured media increased in response to vitamin D3. These results showed that vitamin D3 is a powerful regulator of sex steroid hormone production in porcine granulosa cells, suggesting that vitamin D deficiency may result in inappropriate sexual development of industrial animals and eventually economic loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science, Pusan National University, Miryang, Korea.
authors.forename: So-Hye
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science, Pusan National University, Miryang, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Eon
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science, Pusan National University, Miryang, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: An
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science, Pusan National University, Miryang, Korea.
authors.forename: Ye Young
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science, Pusan National University, Miryang, Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Youn
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science, Pusan National University, Miryang, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science, Pusan National University, Miryang, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong-Keun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science, Pusan National University, Miryang, Korea.
authors.forename: Beum-Soo
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: An
keywords: Estrogen; Follicle growth; Granulosa cell; Steroidogenesis; Vitamin D3