No abstract

Purpose: To examine the expression of inhibinactivin subunits, follistatin, and Smads 2, 3 and 4 in granulosa-luteal cells at the time of oocyte retrieval.Methods: Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was performed to quantify the mRNA expression of the investigated genes: inhibin α-subunit, inhibinactivin βA-and βB-subunits, follistatin, and Smads 2, 3 and 4.Results: α-, βA-and βB-subunits of inhibin-activin, and follistatin were all well expressed in granulosa-luteal cells obtained from either dominant or cohort follicles. α-subunits strongly correlated with Smad2 (p < 0.001). βA-subunit significantly correlated with Smad4, p < 0.001. βB-subunit significantly correlated with Smad2, p = 0.002, and follistatin expression strongly correlated with the expression of Smads 2 and 4 (p < 0.001 and = 0.007 respectively).Conclusions: We found, for the first time that inhibinactivin βB-subunit mRNA was well expressed in human granulosa-luteal cells obtained from either dominant or cohort follicles. α-, βA-and βB-subunits and follistatin cor-