Weil S, Vendola K, Zhou J, Bondy C A
Developmental Endocrinology Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1999 Aug;84(8):2951-6. doi: 10.1210/jcem.84.8.5929.
We have previously shown that androgens stimulate early stages of follicular development and that granulosal androgen receptor (AR) gene expression is positively correlated with follicular growth. The present study was aimed at elucidating potential interactions between FSH and androgens in follicular development. Study groups included eight normal cycling rhesus monkeys (five follicular and three luteal-phase), eight testosterone (T)-treated, and four FSH-treated animals. Examination of sequential ovary sections revealed selective colocalization of AR and FSH receptor (FSHR) messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in healthy, growing follicles. Moreover, individual follicles demonstrate a highly significant (P < 0.001) positive correlation between FSHR and AR mRNA levels in all study groups. Androgen treatment significantly increased granulosa cell FSHR mRNA abundance (by approximately 50-100%, depending on follicle size). FSH treatment increased granulosa AR mRNA levels only in primary follicles. The finding that T augments follicular FSHR expression suggests that androgens promote follicular growth and estrogen biosynthesis indirectly, by amplifying FSH effect, and may partially explain the enhanced responsiveness to gonadotropin stimulation noted in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
我们之前已经表明，雄激素可刺激卵泡发育的早期阶段，并且颗粒细胞雄激素受体（AR）基因表达与卵泡生长呈正相关。本研究旨在阐明卵泡发育过程中促卵泡激素（FSH）与雄激素之间的潜在相互作用。研究组包括八只正常月经周期的恒河猴（五只处于卵泡期，三只处于黄体期）、八只接受睾酮（T）治疗的动物以及四只接受FSH治疗的动物。对连续的卵巢切片进行检查发现，在健康、生长中的卵泡中，AR和FSH受体（FSHR）信使核糖核酸（mRNA）存在选择性共定位。此外，在所有研究组中，单个卵泡的FSHR和AR mRNA水平之间呈现出高度显著的正相关（P < 0.001）。雄激素治疗显著增加了颗粒细胞FSHR mRNA丰度（根据卵泡大小，增加约50% - 100%）。FSH治疗仅在初级卵泡中增加了颗粒细胞AR mRNA水平。T增强卵泡FSHR表达这一发现表明，雄激素通过放大FSH效应间接促进卵泡生长和雌激素生物合成，这可能部分解释了多囊卵巢综合征女性对促性腺激素刺激反应增强的现象。
