Ohleth K M, Zhang Q, Bagnell C A
Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901-8525, USA.
J Mol Endocrinol. 1998 Oct;21(2):179-87. doi: 10.1677/jme.0.0210179.
Relaxin production by the ovarian follicle of gonadotropin-primed, prepubertal gilts is well documented. As far as we are aware, a source of relaxin in pig follicles, independent of gonadotropins, has not yet been reported. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine whether relaxin is produced in porcine follicles in the absence of exogenous or cyclic gonadotropins. In immature pigs, immunoreactive relaxin was detected in fluids from small (1-3 mm), medium (4-5 mm) and large (>6 mm) follicles and localized to the theca interna of large follicles. Relaxin levels in follicular fluid significantly increased with follicle size (P<0.05). Relaxin mRNA was detected in whole small- and medium-sized follicles. In large follicles, the relaxin gene was expressed in thecal layers, but not granulosa cells. The abundance of relaxin transcript did not change with follicle size. In summary, relaxin protein and mRNA were detected in porcine follicles from immature animals, indicating that relaxin is produced in the porcine follicle in the absence of exogenous or cyclic gonadotropins. Relaxin's in vitro growth effects on porcine granulosa and theca cells support this follicular relaxin as a growth modulator during porcine follicular development.
促性腺激素预处理的青春期前小母猪卵巢卵泡产生松弛素已有充分文献记载。据我们所知，猪卵泡中存在独立于促性腺激素的松弛素来源尚未见报道。因此，本研究的目的是确定在没有外源性或周期性促性腺激素的情况下，猪卵泡是否产生松弛素。在未成熟猪中，在小（1 - 3毫米）、中（4 - 5毫米）和大（>6毫米）卵泡的液体内检测到免疫反应性松弛素，且定位在大卵泡的内膜。卵泡液中的松弛素水平随卵泡大小显著增加（P<0.05）。在整个中小卵泡中检测到松弛素mRNA。在大卵泡中，松弛素基因在内膜层表达，但在颗粒细胞中不表达。松弛素转录本的丰度不随卵泡大小变化。总之，在未成熟动物的猪卵泡中检测到松弛素蛋白和mRNA，表明在没有外源性或周期性促性腺激素的情况下，猪卵泡能产生松弛素。松弛素对猪颗粒细胞和内膜细胞的体外生长作用支持了这种卵泡松弛素在猪卵泡发育过程中作为生长调节剂的作用。
