Zhao Zhongquan, Guo Fangyue, Sun Xiaowei, He Qijie, Dai Zinuo, Chen Xiaochuan, Zhao Yongju, Wang Jian
Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Herbivores Resource Protection and Utilisation, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Herbivores Resource Protection and Utilisation, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
Theriogenology. 2018 Sep 15;118:72-79. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2018.05.032. Epub 2018 May 31.
Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), a member of the TGF-β superfamily, is produced by granulosa cells (GCs) of preantral and small antral follicles and plays a role in regulating the recruitment of primordial follicles and the FSH-dependent development of follicles. However, the regulation of AMH expression in follicles remains poorly understood. The objectives of this study were to determine the following: 1. the association between bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) and AMH; 2. whether BMP15 can regulate the expression of AMH by inhibiting the p38 MAPK pathway; and 3. whether SRY-related HMG box 9 (SOX9), a transcription factor for AMH, is involved in the regulation of AMH expression by BMP15. In this study, an inhibitor of p38 MAPK and an siRNA specific for p38 MAPK were used to prevent the function of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway. Then, AMH mRNA expression and AMH secretion were detected in goat GCs using an RT-PCR assay and ELISA, respectively, after treatment with BMP15. The results indicated that BMP15 up-regulates the transcription of AMH and that the inhibition of p38 MAPK decreases the BMP15-induced expression of AMH and SOX9, suggesting that BMP15 up-regulates the expression of AMH via the p38 MAPK signaling pathway, and this process involves the SOX9 transcription factor.
抗苗勒管激素（AMH）是转化生长因子-β（TGF-β）超家族的成员之一，由窦前卵泡和小窦卵泡的颗粒细胞（GCs）产生，在调节原始卵泡的募集和卵泡的促卵泡生成素（FSH）依赖性发育中发挥作用。然而，卵泡中AMH表达的调控仍知之甚少。本研究的目的是确定以下几点：1. 骨形态发生蛋白15（BMP15）与AMH之间的关联；2. BMP15是否可以通过抑制p38丝裂原活化蛋白激酶（MAPK）途径来调节AMH的表达；3. AMH的转录因子，即SRY相关高迁移率族蛋白盒9（SOX9）是否参与BMP15对AMH表达的调控。在本研究中，使用p38 MAPK抑制剂和p38 MAPK特异性小干扰RNA（siRNA）来阻断p38 MAPK信号通路的功能。然后，在用BMP15处理后，分别使用逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）检测法和酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）检测山羊颗粒细胞中AMH信使核糖核酸（mRNA）的表达和AMH的分泌。结果表明，BMP15上调AMH的转录，抑制p38 MAPK可降低BMP15诱导的AMH和SOX9的表达，这表明BMP15通过p38 MAPK信号通路上调AMH的表达，并且此过程涉及SOX9转录因子。
