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  • Title: Effects of recombinant activin A on in vitro culture of mouse preantral follicles.
    Author: Smitz J, Cortvrindt R, Hu Y, Vanderstichele H.
    Journal: Mol Reprod Dev; 1998 Jul; 50(3):294-304. PubMed ID: 9621305.
    Abstract:
    Activins are part of the intragonadal factors that can modulate the actions of gonadotropins and regulate cellular functions during preantral or early antral stages of folliculogenesis in vivo. In a mouse early preantral follicle culture system, activin A production was measured and recombinant bovine activin A (r-ACT A) was added (10 or 50 ng/ml) to recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (r-FSH)-supplemented (10 or 100 mIU/ml) medium for a 12-day culture period. Specificity of activin A action was ascertained by addition of recombinant human follistatin (r-FA; 20 or 100 ng/ml). Immunoreactive activin A concentrations in mouse follicle-conditioned medium increased by a factor of 20-50, reaching concentrations from 2 to 5 ng/ml at end of culture. In the initial days of culture, additions of r-ACT A to r-FSH-supplemented medium provoked a dramatic volumetric increase and earlier attachment of the follicle. A dose of 100 ng/ml r-FS was able to block the actions of 10 ng/ml but not those caused by 50 ng/ml r-ACT A. In follicle cultures supplemented with 10 mIU/ml r-FSH, additions of r-ACT induced a dose-dependent inhibin (INH) and estradiol (E2) increase. Basal and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)-induced progesterone (P) production were not influenced by r-ACT A or r-FS additions. Addition of r-ACT A decreased (P = 0.017) the intact follicle survival rate and had no influence on final oocyte diameter. In cultures supplemented by 10 mIU/ml r-FSH, additions of r-ACT A did not influence progression and resumption of meiosis I. Use of a higher r-FSH supplementation dose (100 mIU/ml) tended to affect meiosis I adversely (P = 0.052), and r-ACT A addition amplified this effect significantly (P = 0.007). These in vitro experiments demonstrate pronounced effects from r-ACT on r-FSH-mediated follicle survival, growth, and estrogen biosynthesis.
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