FSH mediates estradiol synthesis in hypoxic granulosa cells by activating glycolytic metabolism through the HIF-1α-AMPK-GLUT1 signaling pathway.

ABSTRACT: Owing to the avascular environment within ovarian follicles, granulosa cells (GCs) are believed to live in a hypoxic niche. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-mediated steroidogenesis is crucial for normal growth and maturation of ovarian follicles, but it remains unclear how FSH stimulates estradiol (E2) synthesis under hypoxic conditions. Here, we aimed to explore whether FSH affects the ATP production required for estrogen synthesis from the perspective of glucose metabolism. It was observed that the levels of both E2 and HIF-1α were markedly increased in a dose-dependent manner in mouse ovarian GCs after the injection of FSH in vivo, indicating that hypoxia/HIF-1α may be relevant to FSH-induced E2 synthesis. By treating hypoxic GCs with FSH in vitro, we further revealed that the activa

SUBMITTER: Wu G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9036125 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature