High and low dose of luzindole or 4-phenyl-2-propionamidotetralin (4-P-PDOT) reverse bovine granulosa cell response to melatonin

PeerJ. 2023 Jan 16:11:e14612. doi: 10.7717/peerj.14612. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Background: Communication between oocytes and granulosa cells ultimately dictate follicle development or atresia. Melatonin is also involved in follicle development. This study aimed to investigate the effects of melatonin and its receptor antagonists on hormone secretion, as well as gene expression related to hormone synthesis, TGF-β superfamily, and follicle development in bovine granulosa cells, and assess the effects of melatonin in the presence of 4-P-PDOT and luzindole.

Methods: Bovine ovaries were collected from a local abattoir and follicular fluid (follicle diameter 5-8 mm) was collected for granulosa cell isolation and culture. Granulosa cells and culture medium were collected 48 h after treatment with melatonin at high dose concentrations (10-5 M) and low dose concentrations (10-9 M) in the absence/presence of 4-P-PDOT and luzindole (10-5 M or 10-9 M). Furthermore, the expression level of genes related to hormonal synthesis (CYP11A1, CYP19A1, StAR, and RUNX2), TGF-β superfamily (BMP6, INHA, INHBA, INHBB, and TGFBR3), and development (EGFR, DNMT1A, and FSHR) were detected in each experimental group by real-time quantitative PCR. In addition, the level of hormones in culture medium were detected using ELISA.

Results: Both 10-5 M and 10-9 M melatonin doses promoted the secretion of inhibin A and progesterone without affecting the production of inhibin B and estradiol. In addition, both promoted the gene expression of INHA, StAR, RUNX2, TGFBR3, EGFR, and DNMT1A, and inhibited the expression of BMP6, INHBB, CYP11A1, CYP19A1, and FSHR. When combined with different doses of 4-P-PDOT and luzindole, they exhibited different effects on the secretion of inhibin B, estradiol, inhibin A, and progesterone, and the expression of CYP19A1, RUNX2, BMP6, INHBB, EGFR, and DNMT1A induced by melatonin.

Conclusion: High and low dose melatonin receptor antagonists exhibited different effects in regulating hormone secretion and the expression of various genes in response to melatonin. Therefore, concentration effects must be considered when using luzindole or 4-P-PDOT.

Keywords: 4-P-PDOT; Bovine; Gene regulation; Granulosa cell; Hormonal synthesis; Luzindole; Melatonin.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme / metabolism
  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit / metabolism
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Estradiol / metabolism
  • Female
  • Granulosa Cells* / drug effects
  • Melatonin* / pharmacology
  • Progesterone / metabolism

Substances

  • Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme
  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Estradiol
  • luzindole
  • Melatonin
  • Progesterone

Grants and funding

This study was financially supported by Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province (2008085MC94), Key project of natural science research of universities in Anhui Province (KJ2021A0869), the National Natural Science Foundation (31301972), Key research and development project of Chuzhou (2018ZN014) and Key Research and development program of Anhui Province (202004f06020048). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.