INCREASING LEVELS OF AMPHIREGULIN IN FOLLICULAR FLUIDS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH HUMAN OOCYTE MATURATION

概要

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Luteinizing hormone stimulates ovarian somatic cells to induce hormone release for oocyte maturation. Accumulating evidences in rodents indicate importance of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like growth factors [amphiregulin (AREG), epiregulin (EREG) and betacellulin (BTC)] from the somatic cells in oocyte maturation. Here, we investigated an involvement of ovarian EGF-like growth factors in human oocyte maturation. Using isolated human ovarian cells, we found the expression of AREG, EREG and BTC mRNAs in granulosa and cumulus cells by RT-PCR, and AREG protein in cumulus cells, suggesting their production in ovarian somatic cells. In human follicular fluids aspirated from individual follicles undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer and granulosa cells obtained by centrifugation of the fluid, the association between AREG, EREG, and BTC levels and oocyte maturation was examined by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or quantitative real-time RT-PCR................................. ...............................AREG protein level was significantly higher in the follicular fluids that yielded mature oocytes. However, EREG mRNA level in granulosa cells was insignificant between mature and immature oocytes, and BTC protein was absent from all follicular fluids examined. Our findings suggest an important role for AREG, but not EREG and BTC, in optimal maturation of human oocytes.
秋田大学の論文