Allopregnanolone alters follicular and luteal dynamics during the estrous cycle.
Date
2018Author
Asensio, Joana Antonela
Cáceres, Antonella Rosario Ramona
Pelegrina, Laura Tatiana
Sanhuesa, María de los Ángeles
Scotti, Leopoldina
Parborell, Fernanda
Laconi, Myriam Raquel
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
ARTÍCLO PUBLICADO EN REVISTA EXTERNA. Background: Allopregnanolone is a neurosteroid synthesized in the central nervous system independently of steroidogenic glands; it influences sexual behavior and anxiety. The aim of this work is to evaluate the indirect effect of
a single pharmacological dose of allopregnanolone on important processes related to normal ovarian function, such as
folliculogenesis, angiogenesis and luteolysis, and to study the corresponding changes in endocrine profile and
enzymatic activity over 4 days of the rat estrous cycle. We test the hypothesis that allopregnanolone may trigger
hypothalamus - hypophysis - ovarian axis dysregulation and cause ovarian failure which affects the next estrous cycle
stages.
Methods: Allopregnanolone was injected during the proestrous morning and then, the animals were sacrificed at
each stage of the estrous cycle. Ovarian sections were processed to determine the number and diameter of different
ovarian structures. Cleaved caspase 3, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, α-actin and Von Willebrand factor expressions
were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Luteinizing hormone, prolactin, estrogen and progesterone serum
levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. The enzymatic activities of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase,
3α-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase and 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase were determined by spectrophotometric
assays. Two-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni was performed to determine statistical differences between control
and treated groups along the four stages of the cycle.
Results: The results indicate that allopregnanolone allopregnanolone decreased the number of developing follicles,
while atretic follicles and cysts increased with no effects on normal cyclicity. Some cysts in treated ovaries showed
morphological characteristics similar to luteinized unruptured follicles. The apoptosis/proliferation balance increased in
follicles from treated rats. The endocrine profile was altered at different stages of the estrous cycle of treated rats. The
angiogenic markers expression increased in treated ovaries. As regards corpora lutea, the apoptosis/proliferation
balance and 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymatic activity decreased significantly. Progesterone levels and
3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymatic activity increased in treated rats. These data suggest that
allopregnanolone interferes with steroidogenesis and folliculogenesis at different stages of the cycle.
Conclusion: Allopregnanolone interferes with corpora lutea regression, which might indicate that this neurosteroid
exerts a protective role over the luteal cells and prevents them from luteolysis. Allopregnanolone plays an important
role in the ovarian pathophysiology. Sitio de la revista: https://rbej.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12958-018-0353-y Fil: Asensio, Joana Antonela. Laboratorio de Fisiopatología Ovárica, Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU - CONICET), Mendoza, Argentina. Fil: Pelegrina, Laura Tatiana. Laboratorio de Fisiopatología Ovárica, Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU - CONICET), Mendoza, Argentina. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Ambientales, Universidad Juan Agustín Maza, Mendoza, Argentina. Fil: Cáceres, Antonella Rosario Ramona. Laboratorio de Fisiopatología Ovárica, Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU - CONICET), Mendoza, Argentina. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Ambientales, Universidad Juan Agustín Maza, Mendoza, Argentina. Fil: Sanhueza, María de los Ángeles. Laboratorio de Fisiopatología Ovárica, Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU - CONICET), Mendoza, Argentina. Fil: Scotti, Leopoldina. Laboratorio de Fisiopatología del Ovario, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IByME - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina. Fil: Parborell, Fernanda. Laboratorio de Fisiopatología del Ovario, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IByME - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina. Fil: Laconi, Myriam Raquel. Laboratorio de Fisiopatología Ovárica, Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo (IMBECU - CONICET), Mendoza, Argentina. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Ambientales, Universidad Juan Agustín Maza, Mendoza, Argentina. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina.
Subject
AllopregnanoloneFolliculogenesis
Angiogenesis
Apoptosis
Steroidogenesis
Corpora lutea
Luteolysis
URI
http://repositorio.umaza.edu.ar//handle/00261/678https://rbej.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12958-018-0353-y