BNIP3 expression in bovine follicle and corpus luteum

[摘要] BNIP3 (BCL2/adenovirus E1B nineteen kilodalton interacting protein-3), a member of theBCL2 family, is activated under hypoxic conditions and induces apoptosis or mitochondrialautophagy for adapting cells to hypoxia. The physiological roles of BNIP3 in the mammalianovary are still unclear. In order to understand the role of BNIP3 in the bovine ovary, weexamined its mRNA and protein expressions of BNIP3 in follicular granulosa cells andcorpus luteum (CL). BNIP3 mRNA and protein expressions in granulosa cells from largefollicles (>10 mm) at the follicular stage were much higher than those in smallfollicles (2–8 mm). BNIP3 mRNA and protein expressions in the CL peaked at the earlyluteal stage. In bovine granulosa cells cultured for 6 hr under hypoxia (3% O2)and normoxia (20% O2), BNIP3 mRNA expression was higher under hypoxia. Theseresults of the present study suggest that BNIP3 has some roles in luteal formation in thebovine ovary, and that the highly expressed BNIP3 in the granulosa cells from largefollicles at the follicular stage is related to the roles of BNIP3 in the lutealformation.

[学科分类] 兽医学

[关键词] bovine;granulosa cell;hypoxia;luteal cell;ovary