Project description:We used MethylCap-seq and RRBS to profile methylomes of purified human ovarian granulosa cells. Genomic DNA methylation patterns in ovarian granulosa cells were compared between two groups of women: i) oocyte donors (n=20) who were young (age 26 ± 2.2 years) and had robust response to ovarian stimulation during assisted reproductive technology (ART) (mean number of oocytes retrieved = 25); versus ii) poor responders (n=20) who were older (age 40 ± 2.3 years) and responded poorly to ovarian stimulation during ART (oocytes retrieved ≤4 and peak estradiol level ≤ 1000 pg/ml). The first group served as healthy control. The second group represented the majority of women in their early 40s who have the natural age-related decline of ovarian functions and therefore respond poorly to ovarian stimulation during ART. We compared DNA methylomes in ovarian granulosa cells from oocyte donors versus poor responders using two approaches: MethylCap-seq for broader genomic coverage, and RRBS for absolute quantification. Due to very limited amount of materials available from each poor responder, samples containing equal amounts of granulosa cell DNA were pooled from 10 individuals in each group. A second set of experiments pooling granulosa cell DNA samples from independent donor and poor responder groups (ten individuals each) was then performed.
Project description:Comparison of 9 paired human granulosa cell samples just before and 36h after hCG triggering for controlled ovarian stimulation, to explore genes regulated by hCG and involved with ovulation and final oocyte maturation.
Project description:RNA was extracted from normal human granulosa cells from IVF patients (hGC1 and hGC2 samples) and from adult-type ovarian granulosa cell tumor samples (H1, H8, H20, H23, H24, H28, H30, H33, H4, H18) as described in Jamieson et al, 2010. RNA from all samples was linearly amplified using the Whole Transcriptome Amplification kit (Sigma), starting from 300ng of RNA, and with 12 amplifications cycles. cDNA was purified on columns and sent to the Nimblegen platform for hybridization and transcriptional profiling. The FOXL2 locus was gentoyped in tumor samples, and all samples were found positive for the recurrent somatic mutation p.Cys134Trp which is present in >95% of adult-type ovarian granulosa cell tumors (Shah et al, 2009).
Project description:The Forkhead Box, FOXO1 and FOXO3, transcription factors regulate multiple functions in mammalian cells. Selective inactivation of the Foxo1 and Foxo3 genes in murine ovarian granulosa cells severely impairs follicular development and apoptosis causing infertility, and as shown herein, granulosa cell tumor (GCT) formation. Coordinate depletion of the tumor suppressor Pten gene in the Foxo1/3 strain enhanced the penetrance and onset of GCT formation A direct comparison of ovarian granulosa cells from wild type d25 and FOXO/PTEN knockout granulosa cell tumors.
Project description:The growth of the mammalian ovarian follicle requires the formation of a fluid filled antrum, and maturation and differentiation of the ovarian granulosa cells, largely under the control of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). Many follicles will regress and die by a process called atresia at this early antral stage. We therefore decided to analyse the gene expression profiles of granulosa cells cultured in the presence or absence of FSH and Tumour Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), an apoptotic factor, to simulate the key influences. Different concentratons of FSH and TNFa in granulosa culture were used to determine effective conditions via estradiol and progesterone production, and cell number. RNA for the array experiments and quantitative real time PCR was extracted from cells cultured with FSH added at 0.33 and TNF-alpha at 50 ng/ml. Four treatments of : (1) FSH alone, (2) TNF-alpha alone, (3) FSH + TNF-alpha and (4) control = neither drug, with replicates (n=4, except controls n=3 ) were used to generate RNA for the gene expression arrays (n=15)
Project description:The growth of the mammalian ovarian follicle requires the formation of a fluid filled antrum, and maturation and differentiation of the ovarian granulosa cells, largely under the control of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). Many follicles will regress and die by a process called atresia at this early antral stage. We therefore decided to analyse the gene expression profiles of granulosa cells cultured in the presence or absence of FSH and Tumour Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNFα), an apoptotic factor, to simulate the key influences. Different concentratons of FSH and TNFa in granulosa culture were used to determine effective conditions via estradiol and progesterone production, and cell number. RNA for the array experiments and quantitative real time PCR was extracted from cells cultured with FSH added at 0.33 and TNFα at 50 ng/ml.
Project description:Inhibin α knockout (Inha-/-) female mice develop sex cord-stromal ovarian cancer with complete penetrance and previous studies demonstrate that the pituitary gonadotropins [follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH)] are influential modifiers of granulosa cell tumor development and progression in inhibin-deficient females. Recent studies have demonstrated that Inha-/- ovarian follicles develop precociously to the early antral stage in prepubertal mice without any increase in serum FSH and these studies suggested that in the absence of inhibins, granulosa cells differentiate abnormally, and thus at sexual maturity may undergo an abnormal response to gonadotropin signaling. To test this hypothesis, we stimulated immature WT and Inha-/- female mice prior to gross tumor formation with gonadotropin analogs, and subsequently examined post-gonadotropin induced ovarian follicle development, as well as preovulatory and hCG-induced gene expression changes in granulosa cells. We find that at three weeks of age, inhibin-deficient ovaries do not show further antral development nor undergo cumulus expansion. Widespread alterations in the transcriptome of gonadotropin-treated Inha-/- granulosa cells suggest that gonadotropins initiate an improper program of cell differentiation in Inha-/- cells. Overall, our experiments reveal that inhibins are essential for the normal gonadotropin-dependent response of granulosa cells. (2) Genotypes (WT, Inh KO) collected from 2 preovulatory granulosa cells with and without hCG, in triplicate independent samples