Endocrine Abstracts

Cytochrome P450arom (aromatase), a marker of granulosa cell differentiation, and CTGF mRNA expression are inversely related in the developing rat follicle, but the cause/effect nature of the relationship is not known. Here, we used semi-quantitative in situ hybridization to analyze the expression of these genes during follicular development in the rat. The effect of CTGF on aromatase enzyme activity in isolated granulosa cells was determined by conversion of ...

Introduction Tissue remodelling, and deposition of extracellular matrix and basement membrane are critical processes in the formation and development of ovarian follicles. Collagen is a major component of the ECM. Though there is substantial literature concerning the breakdown of collagen in the ovary, little attention has been given to the processes of collagen formation and deposition. Lysyl oxidase (LO) is critical in this process, being the enzyme responsible for the final...

At least 90% of human ovarian cancers may originate in the OSE. Most studies indicate that EOC is oestrogen responsive. Paradoxically, ovarian cancer generally occurs after the menopause, so the question arises if oestrogen is involved, where does it come from? We hypothesise that the high circulating concentrations of conjugated (inactive) oestrogens in post-menopausal women are substrates for formation of active oestrogen in the OSE through the hydrolytic enzyme activity of ...

CTGF is a heparin-binding multi-domain growth factor, stimulated by TGF- beta, and implicated as a paracrine regulator of mitosis, angiogenesis, cellular taxis and remodelling of the extracellular matrix in diverse epithelial cell layers. To examine the roles of CTGF in the ovarian paracrine system, we studied rat granulosa cell CTGF gene expression both in vitro and in vivo. Untreated granulosa cell monolayers from DES-treated immature rats expressed abundant ap...