Objective: To detect the novel apoptosis-related protein PDCD5 expression in granulosa cells of polysystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and normal ovary, and explore the pathogenesis of PCOS.
Methods: The granulosa cells were collected from 30 cases of PCOS and normal ovary in IVF-ET. Expression of PDCD5 was detected by flow cytometry; immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. Cell apoptosis was detected by Propidium Iodide (PI) staining.
Results: The number of hypodiploidy cells associated with apoptosis in granulosa cells of PCOS was greater than that of the normal control. PDCD5 protein expression in PCOS granulosa cells was significantly higher than that in normal ovary (P<0.05). PDCD5-positive cells were mainly observed in cytoplasm. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age, basal serum FSH concentration, number of ampules of FSH administered.
Conclusion: Our data suggest that PDCD5 is an important apoptosis regulating factor in granulosa cells of PCOS and normal ovary, which might be involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS.