title: Alteration in follistatin gene expression detected in prenatally androgenized rats.
abstract: Impaired ovarian follicle development, the hallmark of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), is believed to be due to the changes in expression of related genes such as follistatin (FST). Expression of FST gene and methylation level of its promoter in theca cells from adult female rats, prenatally exposed to androgen excess, during different phases of the estrus cycle was determined and compared with controls. Eight pregnant Wistar rats (experimental group) were treated by subcutaneous injection of 5 mg free testosterone on day 20 of pregnancy, while controls (n = 8) received 500 ml solvent. Based on observed vaginal smear, adult female offspring of mothers were divided into three groups. Levels of serum steroidogenic sexual hormones and gonadotropins, expression and promoter methylation of the FST gene were measured using ELISA, cyber-green real-time PCR and bisulfite sequence PCR (BSP), respectively. Compared to controls, the relative expression of FST gene in the treated group decreased overall by 0.85 fold; despite significant changes in different phases, but no significant differences in methylation of FST promoter. Our results reveal that manifestation of PCOS-like phenotype following prenatal exposure to excess androgen is associated with irregularity in expression of the FST gene during the estrus cycle.
authors.affiliation: a Cellular and Molecular Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences (RIES), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.|b Reproductive Endocrinology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences (RIES), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Marziyeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salehi Jahromi
authors.affiliation: b Reproductive Endocrinology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences (RIES), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Fahimeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ramezani Tehrani
authors.affiliation: c Department of Physiology and Pharmacology , College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Research (CeDER), University of Toledo , Toledo , OH , USA , and.
authors.forename: Jennifer W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: b Reproductive Endocrinology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences (RIES), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Mahsa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noroozzadeh
authors.affiliation: a Cellular and Molecular Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences (RIES), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zarkesh
authors.affiliation: d Endocrine Physiology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences (RIES), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Asghar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghasemi
authors.affiliation: a Cellular and Molecular Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences (RIES), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Azita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zadeh-Vakili
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030762:Estrous Cycle; D005260:Female; D038681:Follistatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011897:Random Allocation; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013739:Testosterone; D014770:Virilism
chemical_list: D038681:Follistatin; D013739:Testosterone
keywords: Follistatin; PCOS; gene expression; methylation; prenatally androgenized