Maranesi Margherita, Palermo Francesco Alessandro, Bufalari Antonello, Mercati Francesca, Paoloni Daniele, Cocci Paolo, Moretti Giulia, Crotti Silvia, Zerani Massimo, Dall'Aglio Cecilia
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, via San Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia PG, Italy.
School of Bioscience and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III Da Varano, I-62032 Camerino MC, Italy.
Animals (Basel). 2020 Sep 2;10(9):1558. doi: 10.3390/ani10091558.
The grey squirrel is an invasive alien species that seriously threatens the conservation of the native red squirrel species. With the aim of characterizing the reproductive physiology of this species due to its great reproductive success, the function of the ovarian nerve growth factor (NGF) system was analyzed in a grey squirrel population living in central Italy. During the breeding and nonbreeding seasons, the ovarian presence, distribution, and gene expression of NGF, neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor 1 (NTRK1), and nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR), as well as NGF plasma concentrations, were evaluated in female grey squirrels. NGF was found in the luteal cells and in the thecal and granulosa cells of follicles, while NTRK1 and NGFR were only observed in follicular thecal and granulosa cells. and transcripts were almost two-fold greater during the breeding season, while no seasonal differences were observed in gene expression. During the breeding season, NGFR was more expressed than NTRK1. Moreover, no changes were observed in NGF plasma levels during the reproductive cycle. The NGF system seems to be involved in regulating the ovarian cycle mainly via local modulation of NGF/NGFR, thus playing a role in the reproductive physiology of this grey squirrel population.
灰松鼠是一种外来入侵物种，严重威胁着本地红松鼠物种的保护。鉴于其强大的繁殖能力，为了表征该物种的生殖生理学特征，对生活在意大利中部的一群灰松鼠的卵巢神经生长因子（NGF）系统功能进行了分析。在繁殖季节和非繁殖季节，对雌性灰松鼠的卵巢中NGF、神经营养性酪氨酸激酶受体1（NTRK1）和神经生长因子受体（NGFR）的存在、分布和基因表达以及NGF血浆浓度进行了评估。在黄体细胞以及卵泡的膜细胞和颗粒细胞中发现了NGF，而仅在卵泡的膜细胞和颗粒细胞中观察到NTRK1和NGFR。 和 转录本在繁殖季节几乎高出两倍，而 基因表达未观察到季节性差异。在繁殖季节，NGFR的表达高于NTRK1。此外，在生殖周期中NGF血浆水平未观察到变化。NGF系统似乎主要通过NGF/NGFR的局部调节参与调节卵巢周期，从而在这群灰松鼠的生殖生理学中发挥作用。
