Human Chorionic Gonadotropin: The Pregnancy Hormone and More

Theofanakis, Charalampos; Drakakis, P.; Besharat, Alexandros; Loutradis, Dimitrios

doi:10.3390/ijms18051059

Cited by 45 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…This glycoprotein hormone is responsible for development and seems to have evolutionary similarities to some pathways found in cancer cells [ 37 ]. In the same evolutionary context, hCG participates in promoting communication between the mother and foetus by enabling extremely invasive placentation [ 38 ].…”

Section: Placenta and Cancermentioning

confidence: 99%

Pregnancy and Cancer: Cellular Biology and Mechanisms Affecting the Placenta

Oliveira

Salgado

Viana

et al. 2021

Cancers

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Cancer during pregnancy is rarely studied due to its low incidence (1:1000). However, as a result of different sociocultural and economic changes, women are postponing pregnancy, so the number of pregnant women with cancer has been increasing in recent years. The importance of studying cancer during pregnancy is not only based on maternal and foetal prognosis, but also on the evolutionary mechanisms of the cell biology of trophoblasts and neoplastic cells, which point out similarities between and suggest new fields for the study of cancer. Moreover, the magnitude of how cancer factors can affect trophoblastic cells, and vice versa, in altering the foetus’s nutrition and health is still a subject to be understood. In this context, the objective of this narrative review was to show that some researchers point out the importance of supplementing branched-chain amino acids, especially leucine, in experimental models of pregnancy associated with women with cancer. A leucine-rich diet may be an interesting strategy to preserve physiological placenta metabolism for protecting the mother and foetus from the harmful effects of cancer during pregnancy.

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Section: Placenta and Cancermentioning

confidence: 99%

Pregnancy and Cancer: Cellular Biology and Mechanisms Affecting the Placenta

Oliveira

Salgado

Viana

et al. 2021

Cancers

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“…Therefore, BCB staining has been used to classify competent oocytes in mice [30,31], sheep [32], and cattle [33]. The human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) surge triggers meiotic maturation in follicular oocytes and ovulation in various mammalian species during assisted reproductive technology (ART) programs [34]. The hCG mimics the action of luteinizing hormone (LH) and binds to LH receptors to trigger final maturation during last phases of folliculogenesis and thereby ovulation [34].…”

Section: Rosmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pituitary gonadotropin surge is a prerequisite for the initiation of meiotic maturation in oocytes [1,34]. Although hCG is frequently used as a surrogate for LH surge to induce ovulation in several mamma-lian species [34], its mechanism of action during achievement of meiotic competency remains ill understood. Our data suggested that almost 95% oocytes collected after 48 h PMSG surge were arrested at diplotene stage.…”

Section: Rosmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spontaneous Exit from Diplotene Arrest Associates with the Increase of Calcium and Reactive Oxygen Species in Rat Oocytes Cultured In Vitro

Tiwari

Chaube

2017

ROS

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Several signal molecules modulate the physiology of mammalian oocytes. Changes in the level of various signal molecules and their downstream impact on maturation promoting factor (MPF) during the achievement of meiotic competency remain ill understood. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze levels of various signal molecules and MPF during the achievement of meiotic competency in rat oocytes. For this purpose, cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from animals treated with 20 IU pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) for 48 h, followed by 20 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for 14 h. The morphological changes, meiotic status and oocyte competency, cytosolic free calcium (Ca 2+), total reactive oxygen species (ROS), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP), guanosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP), cell division cycle 25B (Cdc25B), calciumcalmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), Wee1, specific phosphorylation status of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1), and cyclin B1 expression levels were analyzed. Our data suggest that the culture of denuded diplotene-arrested oocytes resulted in spontaneous exit from diplotene arrest (EDA) in a time-dependent manner. The supplementation of hCG (2 IU) did not show any additive effect over spontaneous EDA in vitro. The hCG (20 IU) surge induced achievement of meiotic competency as most of the ovulated oocytes showed metaphase-II (M-II) arrest with extrusion of first polar body (PB-I). The spontaneous EDA was associated with a moderate increase of cytosolic free Ca 2+ as well as total ROS levels. Furthermore, iNOS, cAMP, cGMP, Cdc25B, Thr161 phosphorylated Cdk1, as well as cyclin B1 levels were significantly decreased, while CaMKII, Wee1, and Thr14/Tyr15 phosphorylated Cdk1 levels were increased significantly during spontaneous EDA. These changes were reversed in ovulated oocytes that showed M-II arrest. The above results suggest that the oscillation of signal molecules modulates MPF destabilization during the achievement of meiotic competency in rat oocytes cultured in vitro.

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“…Pituitary gonadotropin surge triggers EDA in follicular oocytes, a first step towards the achievement of meiotic competency [10,37]. Although hCG is commonly used to induce ovulation in several mammalian species [37], its mechanism of action during achievement of meiotic competency remains ill understood. Our data suggest that the majority of oocytes collected after 48 h PMSG surge were arrested at diplotene stage (approximately 95%).…”

Section: Rosmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The induction of meiotic maturation and ovulation is achieved by giving human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) surge in various mammalian species during assisted reproductive technology (ART) programs [37]. Due to structural and biological similarities to luteinizing hormone (LH), hCG binds to LH receptors [37] and induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation due to increased cell proliferation during the final stages of folliculogenesis [5,38]. Another source of ROS could be the inflammation generated due to follicular rupture during ovarian stimulation protocol.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increase of Reactive Oxygen Species Associates with the Achievement of Meiotic Competency in Rat Oocytes Cultured In Vitro

Tiwari

Chaube

2017

ROS

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Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role during meiotic maturation and ovulation. The downstream impact of ROS during the achievement of meiotic competency remains ill understood. The present study was aimed to find out the impact of ROS on the level of cyclic nucleotides and maturation promoting factor (MPF) during the achievement of meiotic competency. For this purpose, cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from the ovary of experimental rats injected with 20 IU pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) for 48 h, and PMSG was followed by 20 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for 14 h. The morphological changes, meiotic status of oocyte, brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) staining for meiotic competency, total ROS, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP), guanosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP), cell division cycle 25B (Cdc25B), Wee1, specific phosphorylation status of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1), and cyclin B1 expression levels were analyzed. Data suggest that the culture of diplotene-arrested COCs in vitro resulted in spontaneous as well as hCGinduced meiotic exit from diplotene arrest (EDA) in a time-dependent manner, but the first polar body (PB-I) was not extruded. However, 20 IU hCG surge induced extrusion of PB-I in majority of ovulated oocytes. A moderate increase of total ROS as well as H2O2 levels associate with EDA. The cAMP, cGMP, Cdc25B, Thr161 phosphorylated Cdk1 as well as cyclin B1 levels were decreased, while Wee1 and Thr14/Tyr15 phosphorylated Cdk1 levels were significantly increased leading to MPF destabilization. The destabilized MPF resulted in spontaneous EDA in rat COCs cultured in vitro. Taken together, these data suggest that a moderate increase of ROS decreases the cyclic nucleotides level that destabilizes MPF. The destabilized MPF results in EDA in rat COCs cultured in vitro.

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Human Chorionic Gonadotropin: The Pregnancy Hormone and More

Cited by 45 publications

References 54 publications

Pregnancy and Cancer: Cellular Biology and Mechanisms Affecting the Placenta

Pregnancy and Cancer: Cellular Biology and Mechanisms Affecting the Placenta

Spontaneous Exit from Diplotene Arrest Associates with the Increase of Calcium and Reactive Oxygen Species in Rat Oocytes Cultured In Vitro

Increase of Reactive Oxygen Species Associates with the Achievement of Meiotic Competency in Rat Oocytes Cultured In Vitro

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