Expression of fibroblast growth factor 13 (Fgf13) mRNA in bovine antral follicles and corpora lutea

Ano: 2009 | Volume: 6 | Número: 2

Autores: I.B. Costa, N.A. Teixeira, P. Ripamonte, D.M. Guerra, C. Price, J. Buratini Jr

Palavras-chave: antral follicle, cattle, corpus luteum, fibroblast growth factor

Resumo Inglês:

Recent studies have suggested a paracrine role
for several fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) in the
regulation of follicle and luteal development. Fgf13 is a
non-secreted FGF that has been previously localized to
the developing gonads, but it is not known if it is
expressed in the adult ovary. The objective of the
present study was to determine the expression pattern of
Fgf13 mRNA in the bovine ovary. Fgf13 mRNA
expression was examined by semiquantitative RT-PCR
using Gapdh as the internal control gene in theca and
granulosa cells, corpora lutea (CL) and oocytes
collected from abattoir ovaries. Follicles were grouped
according to estradiol content (<5, 5-20, >20-100 and
>100 ng/ml) and size (5-7, 8-10 and >10 mm diameter).
CL samples were morphologically classified into four
developmental stages. Fgf13 mRNA expression was
assessed in pools containing 50 oocytes aspirated from
follicles larger than 4 mm in diameter. ANOVA was
used to test for the main effects of follicle size group,
and estradiol concentration group in granulosa and theca
cells, and to test the effect of CL developmental stage
on Fgf13 mRNA abundance. Fgf13 mRNA was
detected in the CL and in somatic follicle cells, but not
in oocytes. Thecal Fgf13 expression increased with
increasing follicle diameter but did not change with
intrafollicular estradiol concentrations. No evidence of
developmental regulation of Fgf13 mRNA expression
was observed in granulosa cells and CL. The present
data demonstrate for the first time the expression of an
intracellular FGF in the bovine ovary and suggests that
Fgf13 mRNA is upregulated in bovine theca cells
during antral follicle growth.