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What maintains the high intra-follicular estradiol concentration in pre-ovulatory follicles?

  • Reproductive Physiology and Disease
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to establish the mechanism by which the estrogen concentration difference between the follicular fluid and the serum is maintained.

Methods

We used dialysis membrane with a pore size of <3 KD to characterize the estrogen-binding capacity of the follicular fluid. We performed PCR, western blot, and ELISA on luteinized granulosa cells to determine if sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is produced by granulosa cells, and finally we used affinity columns and mass spectrometry to identify the estrogen-binding protein in the follicular fluid.

Results

We found that a significant estrogen concentration difference is maintained in a cell-free system and is lost with proteolysis of the follicular fluid proteins. Luteinized granulosa cells are likely not a source of SHBG, as we were not able to detect expression of SHBG in these cells. Perlecan was the most highly enriched follicular fluid protein in the affinity columns.

Conclusions

We were able to identify perlecan as the most likely candidate for the major estrogen-binding protein in the follicular fluid.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada

    Yaakov Bentov, Andrea Jurisicova & Robert F. Casper

  2. Toronto Center for Assisted Reproductive Technologies, Toronto, Canada

    Yaakov Bentov & Robert F. Casper

  3. Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Andrea Jurisicova & Robert F. Casper

  4. CReATe Fertility Centre, Toronto, Canada

    Shlomit Kenigsberg

  5. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Yaakov Bentov, Andrea Jurisicova, Shlomit Kenigsberg & Robert F. Casper

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  1. Yaakov Bentov
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  2. Andrea Jurisicova
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  3. Shlomit Kenigsberg
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  4. Robert F. Casper
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Correspondence to Yaakov Bentov.

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The project was approved by the institutional Research Ethics Board of Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, and participants provided informed consent.

Additional information

Capsule We were able to identify perlecan as the most likely candidate for the major estrogen-binding protein in the follicular fluid.

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Bentov, Y., Jurisicova, A., Kenigsberg, S. et al. What maintains the high intra-follicular estradiol concentration in pre-ovulatory follicles?. J Assist Reprod Genet 33, 85–94 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-015-0612-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-015-0612-1

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