Effects of urinary and recombinant gonadotrophins on gene expression profiles during the murine peri-implantation period.

BACKGROUND: Controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) with urinary gonadotrophins but not recombinant gonadotrophins, adversely affect the implantation process. In this study, we investigated the effects of urinary and recombinant gonadotrophins on gene expression profiles at implantation sites during the mouse peri-implantation period and the possible molecular mechanisms involved in the detrimental effects of urinary gonadotrophins using microarray technology. METHODS: Adult female CD1 mice were treated with (i) urinary human FSH (hFSH) and urinary HCG, (ii) recombinant hFSH and recombinant human LH or (iii) saline. Gene expression profiling with GeneChip mouse genome 430 2.0 arrays, containing 45 101 probe sets, was performed using implantation sites on embryonic day 5. Data were statistically analysed using Significance Analysis of Microarrays. Ten genes from the microarray analysis were selected for validation using quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). A parallel group of pregnant mice was allowed to give birth to study the effect of gonadotrophins on resorption. RESULTS: Urinary gonadotrophins differentially up-regulated the expression of 30 genes, increased resorption and reduced litter size, whereas recombinant gonadotrophins did not. Nine of the 10 genes were confirmed by qRT-PCR. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary gonadotrophins, but not recombinant gonadotrophins, exerted differential effects on gene expression during the murine peri-implantation period. These findings might contribute to improve protocols for COS, leading to higher successful pregnancy rates.

Urinary gonadotrophins but not recombinant gonadotrophins reduce expression of VEGF120 and its receptors flt-1 and flk-1 in the mouse uterus during the peri-implantation period.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian stimulation in humans might affect the perinatal outcome and be considered as a stress factor in the implantation process. In this study we compared the effects of recombinant and urinary gonadotrophins during the mouse peri-implantation period. METHODS: Adult female CD1 mice were treated as follows (a) urinary hFSH and urinary hCG, (b) recombinant hFSH and recombinant hLH and (c) saline. The effects of the gonadotrophins on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor120 (VEG120) and its receptors and the corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) system during the peri-implantation period were studied. The specific effects of the different gonadotrophins on the onset of implantation were also studied. RESULTS: Urinary gonadotrophin treatment caused lower levels of VEGF120, flt-1 and flk-1 mRNA levels, reduced the size of the embryo implantation site, delayed implantation and prolonged the gestational period. Both urinary hFSH and urinary hCG contributed to the adverse effects. Levels of CRH and CRHR1 expression were not influenced. Recombinant gonadotrophin treatment did not alter any of the parameters studied. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the VEGF system of the mouse uterus during the peri-implantation period is adversely affected by urinary gonadotrophins but not by recombinant gonadotrophins. The CRH system was not affected by the two types of gonadotrophins.

Estrogen reduces vascular endothelial growth factor(164) expression in the mouse nucleus paraventricularis of the hypothalamus.

The aim of the present study was to establish whether estrogen and corticosteroids exert effects on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)(164) expression in the hippocampus and nucleus paraventricularis of the hypothalamus by in situ hybridization. Female mice were ovariectomized and treated either with estradiol benzoate or vehicle and male mice were either adrenalectomized or sham-operated. Ovariectomy plus estrogen reduced VEGF(164) expression in the nucleus paraventricularis but not in the hippocampus. Adrenalectomy did not influence VEGF(164) mRNA levels in the hippocampus and nucleus paraventricularis. Our results show for the first time an inhibitory effect of estrogen on VEGF(164) expression in the nucleus paraventricularis and suggest a role for estrogen in the regulation of VEGF(164) expression and function in the central nervous system.

Gonadotrophin stimulation reduces VEGF(120) expression in the mouse uterus during the peri-implantation period.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian stimulation by gonadotrophin treatment exerts negative effects on implantation and embryonic development. We investigated whether gonadotrophin treatment affects VEGF(120) mRNA expression during the peri-implantation period. METHODS: Two groups of adult female CD1 mice were used: the hormone-treated group was injected i.p. with urinary human FSH (5 IU in 0.1 ml saline) and urinary HCG (5 IU in 0.1 ml saline). Spontaneously ovulating mice served as controls and received saline injections. The pregnant mice were killed on embryonic development (ED) days 0, 3, 4, 5 and 6 (day of vaginal plug detection is considered as ED0). The uteri with the implanted embryos were processed for in-situ hybridization for VEGF(120). A separate group of control and hormone-treated pregnant mice were allowed to give birth. Litter size, birthweight and length of gestational period were noted. RESULTS: Gonadotrophin treatment decreased VEGF(120) mRNA levels, delayed implantation, reduced the size of the embryo implantation site on ED5 and ED6 and prolonged the gestational period. CONCLUSIONS: Gonadotrophin treatment reduces VEGF(120) expression which may have serious consequences for normal embryonic development. The present data cannot establish whether this effect is a cause or consequence of delayed implantation.

Intracellular antagonistic interaction between GnRH and gonadotrophin surge-inhibiting/attenuating factor bioactivity downstream of second messengers involved in the self-priming process.

The antagonistic control of LH concentrations by GnRH and the putative ovarian factor gonadotrophin surge-inhibiting or -attenuating factor (GnSIF/AF) was studied by perifusion of female rat pituitary glands in vitro. LH release and GnRH self-priming were measured in response to five (0.32-10 nmol l-1) or three (10 nmol l-1) 10 min pulses of GnRH. In the latter case, pulses were preceded by five 10 min pulses of either 1 mmol 8-bromo-cAMP l-1 plus 10 mmol theophylline l-1 or 1 mumol phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate l-1. The stimulations were carried out in the presence or absence of steroid-free bovine follicular fluid, which possesses GnSIF/AF bioactivity, to study the effect of GnSIF/AF on the self-priming process during successive stimulations by GnRH. First, the effect of follicular fluid was studied on GnRH-induced LH release from pituitary glands collected during the ovarian cycle. Only when a clear self-priming effect was evident, as on day 2 of dioestrus and the day of pro-oestrus, follicular fluid antagonized the self-priming effect of GnRH. Second, when glands on day 2 of dioestrus were used, self-priming was displayed by various combinations of GnRH and follicular fluid. The pulses with the lowest concentrations of GnRH together with a high concentration of follicular fluid, however, led to stable low amplitude LH pulses. Finally, priming of the pituitary LH response to GnRH with 8-bromo-cAMP plus theophylline or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate was inhibited by follicular fluid. These results confirm the control of LH release by GnRH and GnSIF/AF bioactivity. The effect of GnSIF/AF in follicular fluid is most pronounced on the days before the LH surge, showing evidence of its important role in maintaining low LH concentrations during this period. GnSIF/AF neutralizes downstream actions of second messengers involved in GnRH self-priming.

Influence of folliculo-stellate cells on biphasic luteinizing hormone secretion response to gonadotropin-releasing hormone in rat pituitary cell aggregates.

Anterior pituitary cells cultured as three-dimensional cell aggregates and incubated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) show a biphasic pattern of luteinizing hormone (LH) release when steroid-free bovine follicle fluid is added to the culture medium. Initially, the GnRH-induced LH release is low (lag-phase response), but LH release increases during further incubations with GnRH (primed-state response). Also, in aggregates of dispersed cells from long-term ovariectomized rats cultured for 2 days in the presence of 1% bovine follicle fluid, a low initial LH responsiveness to GnRH could be restored. Cycloheximide was found to block the induction of the primed state, indicating the protein synthesis dependency of GnRH self-priming. In aggregates from gonadotroph-enriched cell populations obtained by velocity sedimentation in a bovine serum albumin gradient, addition of 1% bovine follicle fluid to the culture medium also restored a biphasic pattern of GnRH-induced LH release. However, co-culturing the gonadotroph-enriched cell aggregates with a folliculo-stellate (FS) cell-enriched population resulted in the attenuation of the differences in LH secretion rate between early and late responses to GnRH. The present example of the attenuation by folliculo-stellate cells of pituitary hormone secretion responses demonstrates that the cells regulate the cellular processes leading to a priming of the LH response to GnRH, rather than interfering with the access of GnRH to its receptor in gonadotrophs. Finally, it was found that stimulation of the adenylate cyclase enzyme with maximal effective doses of forskolin counteracted the inhibitory effect of bovine follicle fluid on the initial LH response to GnRH, but did not completely abolish the biphasic pattern of LH release. It is concluded that coupling to the adenylate cyclase enzyme is presumably involved in the LH surge inhibiting feedback action on the pituitary cells, but also other messenger pathways and intercellular interactions between pituitary cells may play a role in establishing a biphasic LH release at the pituitary level following GnRH administration.

Induction of the gonadotrophin surge-inhibiting factor by FSH and its elimination: a sex difference in the efficacy of the priming effect of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone on the rat pituitary gland.

This study was designed to explore the efficacy of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) to antagonize the effect of gonadotrophin surge-inhibiting factor (GnSIF) on the timing of the induction by GnRH of the maximal self-priming effect on pituitary LH responsiveness. The GnSIF levels were increased by FSH treatment and reduced after gonadectomy. Female rats were injected s.c. with 10 IU FSH or saline (control) on three occasions during the 4-day cycle. Serial i.v. injections of GnRH (500 pmol/kg body weight) were administered to intact rats on the afternoon of pro-oestrus or 15-30 min after ovariectomy. Intact male rats were given 10 IU FSH and 500 or 2000 pmol GnRH/kg body weight on an equivalent time-schedule. Endogenous GnRH release was suppressed with phenobarbital. In intact female control rats, the timing of the maximally primed LH response was delayed as the GnRH pulse-interval increased. FSH treatment of female rats induced a suppression of the initial unprimed LH response and delayed the maximally primed LH response, which showed further delay as the GnRH pulse-interval was increased. When the pulsatile administration of GnRH was started 15-30 min after ovariectomy, the priming effect of GnRH did not change as the GnRH pulse-interval was increased in the saline-treated rats. However, FSH treatment caused a suppression of the unprimed LH response, a delay in the primed LH response and decreased the delay of the maximally primed LH response to GnRH when the GnRH pulse-interval was decreased. Increasing the interval between ovariectomy and the first GnRH pulse to 4 h diminished the efficacy of the FSH treatment: GnRH-induced priming was delayed by only one pulse instead of the two pulses in control rats. In intact males but not in orchidectomized rats, a self-priming effect was demonstrated during GnRH pulses which were 1 h apart. The effect of 2 nmol GnRH/kg body weight was the most pronounced. Compared with intact female rats, the timing of the maximally primed LH response was delayed by 1 h. FSH treatment did not affect the pituitary LH response to both dose levels of GnRH. It is concluded that FSH treatment increased the release of GnSIF by the ovary, then induced a state of low responsiveness of the pituitary gland to GnRH and subsequently delayed GnRH-induced maximal self-priming. The efficacy of GnRH to prime the pituitary gland was higher when GnSIF levels were decreasing after removal of the ovaries.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

The effect of gonadotrophin surge-inhibiting factor on the self-priming action of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone in female rats in vitro.

The present study was designed to explore further the functional antagonism between gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and the ovarian factor, gonadotrophin surge-inhibiting factor (GnSIF). In all experiments, pituitary tissue was exposed to various amounts of GnSIF, after which the self-priming action of GnRH was studied. GnSIF was increased in vivo by FSH treatment and increased in vitro by adding various amounts of follicular fluid (FF) to cultured pituitary cells. Treatment with 3 or 10 IU FSH suppressed the initial LH response and delayed the maximally primed LH response to GnRH. Treatment with FSH was only effective in intact rats on days 1 and 2 of dioestrus. There was no difference in the rate of maximal LH release irrespective of treatment with either FSH or saline. Since FSH treatment was ineffective in long-term ovariectomized rats, it was concluded that the initial suppressive effect of FSH on LH release was mediated by GnSIF. Cycloheximide prevented the self-priming action of GnRH by inhibiting GnRH-induced protein synthesis. The initial protein synthesis-independent GnRH-stimulated LH release, which was already suppressed by FSH treatment, remained suppressed in the presence of cycloheximide. Pretreatment with GnRH in vivo increased the protein synthesis-independent GnRH-induced LH release during subsequent incubation of the glands. This increase did not occur after FSH treatment. Pituitary cells, cultured for 20 h in medium only, failed to elicit the self-priming effect of GnRH. Preincubation with FF maintained the self-priming effect. This was independent of the concomitant presence of various amounts of oestradiol. Preincubation with bovine FF suppressed the initial GnRH-stimulated LH release dose-dependently. Porcine FF, human FF and testicular extract suppressed the release of LH in a similar way. It was concluded that GnSIF suppresses the initial LH response to continuous GnRH stimulation. Increased levels of GnSIF caused by FSH treatment also delayed the primed LH release. The mechanism of functional antagonism between GnSIF and GnRH could give rise to the occurrence of the phenomenon of GnRH self-priming.

The self-priming action of LHRH is under negative FSH control through a factor released by the ovary: observations in female rats in vivo.

Female rats were treated with Metrodin (highly purified urinary FSH from menopausal women) or saline during the oestrous cycle. On the day of pro-oestrus they were anaesthesized with phenobarbital and received four repetitive LHRH injections 1 h apart. This treatment with FSH suppressed the unprimed LH response to the first LHRH injection. During the subsequent injections the maximal LHRH self-priming was delayed by 3 h till the fourth LHRH stimulation. At this time, LH release in response to LHRH was equally as high as shown in the saline controls after the second LHRH injection. Ovariectomized rats did not show the self-priming effect and FSH treatment was ineffective in suppressing LHRH-induced LH release. Administration of FSH followed by an additional 4- or 24-h period before LHRH stimulation were equally effective in suppressing the unprimed LH release and delaying (up to 3 h) the maximal priming of LH release by LHRH. Even 4-20-fold increased amounts of LHRH did not affect the suppressed unprimed release of LH after FSH treatment. Treatment with FSH did not change oestradiol and progesterone levels. It was concluded that FSH treatment suppresses the unprimed LHRH-induced LH release and delays maximal LHRH self-priming by enhancing the release of an ovarian factor.

The self-priming action of LHRH increases the low pituitary LH and FSH response caused by ovarian factors: observations in vitro.

Pituitary glands taken from intact rats on day 2 of dioestrus and incubated with LHRH show a biphasic pattern of LH and FSH release. Initially the release of the gonadotrophins is low (first-phase or lag-phase response), but increases during further incubation with LHRH (second-phase or primed-state response). Removal of the influence of an unidentified ovarian factor either by ovariectomy or prolonged incubation in medium only leads to an increased (lag-phase) response to LHRH. The development of the increased response after prolonged incubation was prevented by the addition of cycloheximide to the media, implicating that this process is dependent upon the synthesis of protein. Steroid-free material (bovine follicular fluid or rat ovarian extracts) prevented the development of this process. In addition, it was shown that steroid-free rat ovarian extracts were also able to induce the development of a lag phase in pituitary glands from ovariectomized rats. Finally, it was found that steroid-free ovarian extracts reversed the self-priming effect of LHRH. The biological activity which reduced the responsiveness of the pituitary gland towards stimulation by LHRH was eliminated after the use of protein-denaturating techniques such as increased temperature or addition of methanol. The presence of this activity in ovaries, did not vary during the oestrous cycle, contrary to inhibin-like activity. Hence the ovarian factor responsible for the low lag-phase response is a protein which is probably not identical to inhibin. It is concluded that a non-steroidal ovarian factor reduces the responsiveness of the anterior pituitary gland to LHRH.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Levels of LH-releasing hormone in hypophysial stalk plasma during an oestrogen-stimulated surge of LH in ovariectomized rats.

Treatment of ovariectomized rats with 50 micrograms oestradiol benzoate, followed by 20 micrograms oestradiol benzoate 3 days later, induced surges of LH and FSH on the day following the second injection with oestradiol benzoate. During this surge of gonadotrophins, which was not blocked by the anaesthetic required to collect hypophysial stalk blood, increased hypophysial stalk plasma levels of immunoreactive LHRH were noted. Furthermore, the levels of LHRH in hypophysial portal blood were found to fluctuate. Measurement of LHRH in a pool of portal plasma revealed similar results when determined by radioimmunoassay and by a sensitive in-vitro bioassay. To mimic the observed release of LHRH during the surge of gonadotrophins, LHRH was infused, either systemically or directly into a long portal vessel, into oestrogen-treated, ovariectomized rats which had their endogenous release of LHRH blocked by pentobarbitone. An infusion of LHRH into the jugular vein, resulting in peripheral levels of LHRH which were somewhat lower than those measured in hypophysial stalk plasma, caused a surge of FSH similar to that found in rats used for collection of hypophysial stalk blood. When compared with the values in the latter animals, however, the levels of LH became two to four times higher by this infusion of LHRH. When LHRH was infused directly into a long portal vessel to mimic the observed secretion rate of LHRH during the oestrogen-stimulated surge of gonadotrophins, then the surges of LH and FSH were lower than those observed in the rats used for collection of stalk blood.

The involvement of ovarian factors in maintaining the pituitary glands of female rats in a state of low LH responsiveness to LHRH.

The effects of discontinuation and restoration of ovarian influences on the pituitary LH response to LHRH in vitro were investigated. When female rat pituitary glands taken on day 2 of dioestrus were incubated with LHRH the release of LH was low during the first hour (lag phase response) and afterwards a progressive, protein synthesis-dependent increase took place (second phase response), this being the self-priming action of LHRH. Short-term discontinuation (less than 1 day) of ovarian influences on the rat pituitary gland in vivo (ovariectomy) or in vitro (incubation in medium only) resulted in an increased LHRH-induced LH response during the lag phase. The biphasic LH response or the self-priming action of LHRH disappeared completely after long-term discontinuation of ovarian influences on the pituitary gland, LH release being at its maximum from the start of the incubation. The biphasic response was reinstated when ovaries were implanted under the kidney capsules of ovariectomized rats. Auto-implantation of an ovary into the spleen immediately after bilateral ovariectomy did not, however, prevent the disappearance of the LHRH self-priming action. Ovarian activity responsible for the presence of the low LH response during the lag phase was thus effectively removed by the liver, but inhibin-like activity suppressing serum FSH levels remained present. Silicone elastomer implants (s.c.) containing oestradiol-17 beta, implanted for 4 weeks, did not reverse the loss of the biphasic LH response to LHRH. It is concluded that liver-labile factors released by the ovaries keep the pituitary gland in a state of low responsiveness to LHRH.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Comparison of the time courses of luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion rates during continuous stimulation by LH-releasing hormone (LH-RH) in vivo and in vitro.

The patterns of LH secretion during constant stimulation of the pituitary glands of estradiol-treated ovariectomized rats with a maximally stimulating amount of LH-RH in vivo and in vitro correspond with each other qualitatively and quantitatively. In vitro the changes with time of the LH secretion rate are somewhat retarded, especially the occurrence of desensitization.

Divergent effects on LH and FSH synthesis and release from intact female rat pituitary glands in vitro by methylxanthines, cyclic AMP derivatives and sodium fluoride.

FSH release from the female rat pituitary gland consists of an LH-like, LRH-dependent component and an autonomous, inhibin-sensitive component. It was investigated whether cyclic AMP mediated FSH release. BrcAMP, theophylline, MIX or NaF stimulated LH release but inhibited FSH release and synthesis. Although dbcAMP had no inhibitory effect on FSH release, it partly reversed the inhibitory action of theophylline. In view of previous and the present results it is concluded that cyclic AMP may mediate the LRH-dependent LH and FSH release and, through a separate pathway, may mediate the inhibition of autonomous FSH release by the ovarian protein inhibin.

Comparison between the biological effects of LH-RH and buserelin on the induction of LH release from hemi-pituitary glands of female rats in vitro.

The biological effects of LH-RH and the agonist [D-Ser(But)6-des Gly10]-LH-RH(1-9)-ethylamide (buserelin) were compared during 8 h of incubation with female rat hemi-pituitary glands. Similar dose-response relationships were found for LH-RH and buserelin as concerns the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) by pituitary glands from intact and ovariectomized rats. Also the LH secretion patterns from glands of intact rats were similar: an initial low response was followed by a fast increase (priming effect) after which the response declined again (desensitization). In a subsequent experiment pituitary glands from ovariectomized rats were first exposed to LH-RH or buserelin for 4 h and then further incubated in medium only. After discontinuation of the stimuli the rate of LH release decreased in all cases, but this decrease was significantly greater when the glands had been exposed to LH-RH. Short-term (1/2, 1 or 2 h) exposures to LH-RH or buserelin followed by an intervening period (1 1/2, 1 or 0 h, respectively) of incubation in medium only resulted in an almost similar, significant increase in the subsequent protein synthesis-independent LH response to LH-RH (priming effect). Only preincubation with LH-RH for 2 h was significantly more effective. The results demonstrate equal intrinsic activities for LH-RH and buserelin. Differences in the biopotencies for LH-RH and buserelin in vivo and in vitro may occur only after discontinuation of the external stimuli.

Release of LH in vitro from anterior pituitary glands of ovariectomized rats by LRH or elevated potassium concentration after pre-treatment with oestradiol benzoate in vivo.

Pituitary glands from ovariectomized rats which had been pre-treated with oestradiol benzoate (OeB) or solvent oil were incubated in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer with glucose containing either LRH (1000 ng/ml) or a high K+ concentration (50 mM). OeB (7 micrograms sc) or oil was injected at 2.5 or 6.5 h before the beginning of the incubation experiment or during the three preceding days (three daily injections). Depending upon the period during which the pituitary glands had been exposed to OeB LH release induced by LRH was inhibited (negative effect of OeB) or augmented (positive effect). When the glands were incubated in medium containing high K+, only the negative effect of OeB pre-treatment was seen. It is concluded that that part of LRH-induced LH release which is mimicked by high K+ is involved in the negative effect of OeB, but not in its positive effect.

Dissociation of antipolyuric action and increase in plasma renin activity caused by chlorothiazide in Brattleboro rats.

The previous finding that chlorothiazide (about 250 mg/day) induces a sustained reduction in the polyuria of homozygous Brattleboro (BB) female rats, as well as an increase to about 250% of plasma renin activity was confirmed. Disruption of the renin-angiotensin system by either the angiotensin antagonist saralasin or the beta-blocking agent propranolol does not interfere with chlorothiazide antidiuresis. Each inhibitor reduces BB polyuria on its own, an effect which, however, may be explained by a possible interference with thirst.