Sugino N, Kashida S, Takiguchi S, Karube A, Kato H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Ube, Japan.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2000 Oct;85(10):3919-24. doi: 10.1210/jcem.85.10.6888.
To investigate the possible role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors in the human corpus luteum (CL), expression of VEGF and its receptors, the fms-like tyrosine kinase and the kinase insert domain-containing region (KDR), was analyzed in the CL during the menstrual cycle and in early pregnancy. Immunohistochemistry revealed that VEGF was localized in luteal cells and both flt-1 and KDR were also localized in luteal cells, in addition to vascular endothelial cells. Messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of VEGF, flt-1, and KDR remained constant in the CL during the luteal phase and was lower in the regression phase. In the pregnant CL, VEGF mRNA expression was higher compared with that in the midluteal phase, and mRNA expression of both flt-1 and KDR was the same as that in the midluteal phase. Western blot analyses revealed that the change in protein expression of VEGF, flt-1, and KDR was similar to that in their mRNA expression. To study the effect of human CG (hCG) on VEGF expression in the CL, corpora lutea obtained from the midluteal phase were incubated with hCG (1 IU/ml) for 6 h. hCG increased the expression of mRNA and protein of VEGF. In conclusion, VEGF and its receptors may play important roles in development and function of the CL, and VEGF may exert a paracrine-autocrine role in regulating luteal function. hCG may act to prolong the life span of the CL by stimulating VEGF expression when pregnancy occurs.
为研究血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）及其受体在人黄体（CL）中的可能作用，分析了月经周期及妊娠早期CL中VEGF及其受体——fms样酪氨酸激酶和含激酶插入结构域区域（KDR）的表达。免疫组织化学显示，VEGF定位于黄体细胞，除血管内皮细胞外，flt-1和KDR也定位于黄体细胞。在黄体期，CL中VEGF、flt-1和KDR的信使核糖核酸（mRNA）表达保持恒定，而在退化期则较低。在妊娠黄体中，VEGF mRNA表达高于黄体中期，flt-1和KDR的mRNA表达与黄体中期相同。蛋白质印迹分析显示，VEGF、flt-1和KDR的蛋白质表达变化与其mRNA表达变化相似。为研究人绒毛膜促性腺激素（hCG）对CL中VEGF表达的影响，将取自黄体中期的黄体与hCG（1 IU/ml）孵育6小时。hCG增加了VEGF的mRNA和蛋白质表达。总之，VEGF及其受体可能在CL的发育和功能中发挥重要作用，VEGF可能在调节黄体功能中发挥旁分泌-自分泌作用。妊娠发生时，hCG可能通过刺激VEGF表达来延长CL的寿命。
