Cholecystokinin‐mediated effect of insulin pathway on the steroidogenic activity of follicular granulosa cells in Camelus bactrianus: In vitro study

Abstract

The current study aimed to explore the molecular mechanism by which the cholecystokinin (CCK)‐mediated CCKAR and CCKBR, as well as the molecular mechanisms of CCK‐mediated insulin signalling pathway, regulate oestrogen in the granulosa cells. Also, the expression of CCK in ovaries, uterus, hypothalamus and pituitary gland was investigated in Camelus bactrianus. Ovaries, uterus, hypothalamus and pituitary gland were collected from six, three before ovulation (control) and three after ovulation, slaughtered Camelus bactrianus. Ovulation was induced by IM injection of seminal plasma before slaughtering in the ovulated group. The results showed that there were differences in the transcription and protein levels of CCK in various tissues before and after ovulation (p < .05, p < .01). After transfection with p‐IRES2‐EGFP‐CCK, the mRNA and protein levels of CCK, CCKAR, CCKBR and ER in follicular granulosa cells were significantly upregulated (p < .05, p < .01), and the content of E2 was significantly upregulated (p < .01); On the contrary, after transfection with si‐CCK, the mRNA and protein levels of CCK, CCKAR, CCKBR and ER in follicular granulosa cells were significantly downregulated (p < .05, p < .01), and the content of E2 was significantly downregulated (p < .01). Regulating CCK can affect the mRNA levels of INS, INSR, IGF and IGF‐R. In summary, regulating the expression level of CCK can activate insulin‐related signalling pathways by CCKR, thereby regulating the steroidogenic activity of granulosa cells.