Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin Modulates the Expression of Genes Related to the Structure and Function of the Bovine Corpus Luteum

Abstract

We hypothesized that stimulatory and superovulatory treatments, using equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), modulate the expression of genes related to insulin, cellular modelling and angiogenesis signaling pathways in the bovine corpus luteum (CL). Therefore, we investigated: 1—the effect of these treatments on circulating insulin and somatomedin C concentrations and on gene and protein expression of INSR, IGF1 and IGFR1, as well as other insulin signaling molecules; 2—the effects of eCG on gene and protein expression of INSR, IGF1, GLUT4 and NFKB1A in bovine luteal cells; and 3—the effect of stimulatory and superovulatory treatments on gene and protein expression of ANG, ANGPT1, NOS2, ADM, PRSS2, MMP9 and PLAU. Serum insulin did not differ among groups (P = 0.96). However, serum somatomedin C levels were higher in both stimulated and superovulated groups compared to the control (P = 0.01). In stimulated cows, lower expression of INSR mRNA and higher expression of NFKB1A mRNA and IGF1 protein were observed. In superovulated cows, lower INSR mRNA expression, but higher INSR protein expression and higher IGF1, IGFR1 and NFKB1A gene and protein expression were observed. Expression of angiogenesis and cellular modelling pathway-related factors were as follows: ANGPT1 and PLAU protein expression were higher and MMP9 gene and protein expression were lower in stimulated animals. In superovulated cows, ANGPT1 mRNA expression was higher and ANG mRNA expression was lower. PRSS2 gene and protein expression were lower in both stimulated and superovulated animals related to the control. In vitro, eCG stimulated luteal cells P4 production as well as INSR and GLUT4 protein expression. In summary, our results suggest that superovulatory treatment induced ovarian proliferative changes accompanied by increased expression of genes providing the CL more energy substrate, whereas stimulatory treatment increased lipogenic activity, angiogenesis and plasticity of the extracellular matrix (ECM).

Equine chorionic gonadotropin drives the transcriptional profile of immature cumulus‐oocyte complexes and in vitro‐produced blastocysts of superstimulated Nelore cows

“…Several protocols using FSH (Barros & Nogueira, ; Barros & Nogueira, ; Baruselli et al, ; Coelho, Esper, Alvarez, Vantini, & Junior, ; Dias, Costa et al, ; Dias, Khan, Sirard, Adams, & Singh, ; Mundim et al, ) or eCG (Baruselli, Reis, Marques, Nasser, & Bo, ; Duffy et al, ; Fatima et al, ; O'Hara et al, ; Pessoa et al, ; Scanlon et al, ; Small, Colazo, Kastelic, & Mapletoft, ; Sousa, Mendes, Campos, Baruselli, & Papa, ) are being tested individually or in combination by replacing the last two FSH doses by eCG (Barcelos et al, ; Barcelos, Satrapa, Nogueira & Barros, ; A. C. Oliveira et al, ). The main benefits of eCG use are an increase in the occurrence of estrus, pregnancy rates (Pessoa et al, ) follicular size, corpus luteum volume, and circulating progesterone concentrations in beef cows and heifers (Dorneles Tortorella et al, ; O'Hara et al, ).…”

“…Several protocols using FSH (Barros & Nogueira, 2001;Barros & Nogueira, 2005;Baruselli et al, 2006;Coelho, Esper, Alvarez, Vantini, & Junior, 2002;Dias, Costa et al, 2013;Dias, Khan, Sirard, Adams, & Singh, 2013;Mundim et al, 2009) or eCG (Baruselli, Reis, Marques, Nasser, & Bo, 2004;Duffy et al, 2004;Fatima et al, 2013;O'Hara et al, 2016;Pessoa et al, 2016;Scanlon et al, 1968;Small, Colazo, Kastelic, & Mapletoft, 2009;Sousa, Mendes, Campos, Baruselli, & Papa, 2016) are being tested individually or in combination by replacing the last two FSH doses by eCG (Barcelos et al, 2007;Barcelos, Satrapa, Nogueira & Barros, 2006;A. C. Oliveira et al, 2011).…”

EFEITO DA eCG SOBRE AS CARACTERÍSTICAS MORFOFUNCIONAIS DO CORPO LÚTEO DE VACAS MESTIÇAS DURANTE A SINCRONIZAÇÃO DA OVULAÇÃO

“…O desenvolvimento de um CL com condições de manter a prenhez depende de um folículo com adequado número de células da granulosa, da presença de receptores de LH nas células da teca e da granulosa do folículo e posterior capacidade de sintetizar adequadas quantidade de P4 depois da luteinização (Vasconcelos et al, 2013). De acordo com Luttgenau et al (2011) baixas concentrações de P4 no momento da sincronização da ovulação favorecem o crescimento folicular e possivelmente folículos com maiores diâmetros desencadeiam a formação de um CL no diestro subsequente de maior tamanho e produção de P4.…”

“…Adicionalmente, de acordo com Fátima et al (2012), esta glicoproteína pode modular a síntese luteal de citokinas, fatores de crescimento como o VEGF e prercussores hormonais relacionados com a angiogênese influenciando no suprimento sanguíneo para a produção de P4. O aumento no fluxo sanguíneo ovariano promovido pela administração de eCG no grupo alta concentração de P4 pode ser devido a ativação de moléculas vasodilatadoras e angiogênicas em resposta a esta gonadotrofina (Souza et al, 2016). Theriogenology, v. 34, n. 3, 1990.…”

Natural and recombinant equine chorionic gonadotropins past and future in animal reproductive technology

“…Exogenous gonadotropins are widely used in the treatment of infertility in humans and animals (Lunenfeld et al, 2019), and endogenous gonadotropins are targets for contraception (Talwar et al, 2015). Gonadotropins are important in the control of the efficacy of reproduction (fertility) in domestic animals (Sousa et al, 2016). These molecules are thus important pharmaceuticals for the management of reproduction in humans and animals.…”