Hormonal regulation and differential expression of neuropilin (NRP)-1 and NRP-2 genes in bovine granulosa cells

Abstract

Although much is known about the biology of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors, little is known about the role of the VEGF receptors neuropilin (NRP)-1 and NRP-2 in the process of bovine follicle development. The aim of the present study was to examine the hormonal regulation of NRP-1 and NRP-2 mRNAs by real-time PCR in follicles from the bovine ovary and in cultured granulosa cells. The NRP-1 gene was expressed in the granulosa and theca cells in the post-selection (POF) and pre-selection (PRF) follicles in the bovine ovary. In contrast, the NRP-2 gene was expressed only in the theca cells in the POF and the PRF. The level of NRP-1 mRNA was significantly increased by treatment of the cultured granulosa cells with 10 ng/ml estradiol (E2). In contrast, the addition of progesterone (P4) to the culture medium decreased the expression of the NRP-1 gene. The level of NRP-1 mRNA was increased by 10 ng/ml E2 with or without 1 ng/ml P4, but the level of NRP-1 mRNA was decreased if the P4 level was increased to 10 ng/ml, even when 1 ng/ml E2 was also added. Folliclestimulating hormone did not stimulate the expression of the NRP-1 gene. These results are the first data showing that NRP-1, but not NRP-2, is expressed in the granulosa cells of bovine follicles and that NRP-1 gene expression is regulated by sex steroids. Our findings suggest the involvement of NRP-1 in follicle development in the cow.

Class 3 semaphorins and their receptors in physiological and pathological angiogenesis

“…Moreover, Np1 expression has been shown to increase during follicular development [24] and in response to oestrogen and progesterone, but not follicle-stimulating hormone in the ovary [25]. Similarly, our studies have demonstrated that both Np1 and Np2 are involved in human wound repair, where expression is elevated early in the wound healing process, i.e.…”

Identification ofAcvr2aas a Th17 Cell-Specific Gene Induced during Th17 Differentiation

“…It has been reported that Acvr2a gene expression was induced by estradiol in bovine granulose cells 24) and was upregulated by noggin, which induced TGF-, TNF-, IFN-, or IL-7 in mesenchymal stem cells. 25) In this study, induction of Acvr2a gene expression ran parallel to the Th17 differentiation and regulation processes.…”

Biomarkers of human oocyte developmental competence expressed in cumulus cells before ICSI: a preliminary study

“…NRP 1, which is the most studied candidate, is a tyrosine kinase coreceptor that can bind to the membrane and is involved in angiogenic and neuronal traffic through the cytoskeleton [68]. Its expression was also reported in granulosa cells of rat and bovine species [69,70]. Keeping in mind the fact that synaptic vesicles transport was also achieved via microfilament and microtubule networks [71] and that similar cytoskeleton structures were reported in the transzonal cytoplasmic projections between CCs and the oocyte [72][73][74][75], one can assume the involvement of neuronal genes and molecules/vesicles exchange in CCs-oocyte dialogue.…”