Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, 4026 Yatai Street, Changchun, 130022, China.
Department of Gynecology, Dongguan Songshan Lake Tungwah Hospital, NO.1 Songshan Lake Science Development Seven Road, DongGuan, 523822, China.
J Ovarian Res. 2024 Sep 28;17(1):189. doi: 10.1186/s13048-024-01511-3.
Ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) play crucial roles in follicular growth and development. Their normal function is influenced by various factors, including oxidative stress, which is a significant factor. Afamin protein is a vitamin E-specific binding protein that acts as a vitamin E carrier in follicular fluid. Although the mechanism of the protective effect of afamin on human ovarian GCs is still unclear, there is evidence it has an antioxidant effect in neuronal cells.
In this study, we investigated the protective effects of afamin proteins on testosterone propionate (TP)-induced ovarian GCs using a human ovarian tumor granulosa cell line (KGN).
The results showed that afamin reduced TP-induced oxidative stress in KGN cells by decreasing the levels of oxidative damage markers, enhancing the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and exerting a protective effect on GCs. Supplementation with afamin repaired mitochondrial dysfunction by improving mitochondrial membrane potential damage and ATP levels. It counteracted TP-induced apoptosis by decreasing the activity of Caspase-3 and upregulating the expression of the anti-apoptotic gene (BCL-2) while downregulating the expression of the pro-apoptotic gene BCL-2-associated X protein (BAX). In addition, afamin regulated the expression of genes related to ovarian steroid hormone synthesis, ameliorating the endocrine dysfunction observed in TP-induced KGN cells.
Therefore, Afamin proteins may serve as important complementary factors that protect GCs from other types of damage, such as oxidative stress, and may help improve ovarian follicle quality and female reproductive function.
卵巢颗粒细胞（GCs）在卵泡生长和发育中起着至关重要的作用。其正常功能受多种因素影响，包括氧化应激，这是一个重要因素。Afamin 蛋白是一种维生素 E 特异性结合蛋白，在卵泡液中作为维生素 E 的载体。虽然 Afamin 对人卵巢 GCs 的保护作用机制尚不清楚，但有证据表明它在神经元细胞中具有抗氧化作用。
在这项研究中，我们使用人卵巢肿瘤颗粒细胞系（KGN）研究了 Afamin 蛋白对丙酸睾酮（TP）诱导的卵巢 GCs 的保护作用。
结果表明，Afamin 通过降低氧化损伤标志物的水平、增强抗氧化酶的活性，对 KGN 细胞中的 TP 诱导的氧化应激产生保护作用，从而减少 TP 诱导的氧化应激。补充 Afamin 通过改善线粒体膜电位损伤和 ATP 水平来修复线粒体功能障碍。它通过降低 Caspase-3 的活性和上调抗凋亡基因（BCL-2）的表达，同时下调促凋亡基因 BCL-2 相关 X 蛋白（BAX）的表达，来抵抗 TP 诱导的细胞凋亡。此外，Afamin 调节与卵巢甾体激素合成相关的基因表达，改善了 TP 诱导的 KGN 细胞中观察到的内分泌功能障碍。
因此，Afamin 蛋白可能作为保护 GCs 免受其他类型损伤（如氧化应激）的重要补充因子，有助于改善卵巢卵泡质量和女性生殖功能。
