Proliferative and Steroidogenic Effects of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone on Cultured Chick Embryo Testis Cells

Localization of apoptotic and proliferating cells and mRNA expression of caspases and Bcl-2 in gonads of chicken embryos

The aim of the present study was to analyze participation of apoptosis and proliferation in gonadal development in the chicken embryo by: (1) localization of apoptotic (TUNEL) and proliferating (PCNA immunoassay) cells in male and female gonads and (2) examination of mRNA expression (RT-PCR) of caspase-3, caspase-6 and Bcl-2 in the ovary and testis during the second half of embryogenesis and in newly hatched chickens. Apoptotic cells were found in gonads of both sexes. At E18 the percentage of apoptotic cells (the apoptotic index, AI) in the ovarian medulla and the testis was lower (p<0.05) than in the ovarian cortex. In the ovarian medulla, the AI at E18 was lower (p<0.05) than on E12. In the testis, the AI was significantly lower (p<0.05) at E18 than at E15 and 1D. The percentage of proliferating cells (the proliferation index: PI) within the ovary significantly increased from E15 to 1D in the cortex, while proliferating cells in the medulla were detected only at E15. In the testis, the PI gradually increased from E12 to 1D. The mRNA expression of caspase-3 and -6 as well as Bcl-2 was detected in male and female gonads at days 12 (E12), 15 (E15) and 18 (E18) of embryogenesis and the day after hatching (1D). The expression of all analyzed genes on E12 was significantly higher (p<0.05) in female than in male gonads. This difference was also observed at E15 and E18, but only for the caspase-6. The results obtained showed tissue- and sex-dependent differences in the number of apoptotic and proliferating cells as well as mRNA expression of caspase-3, -6 and Bcl-2 genes in the gonads of chicken embryos. Significant increase in the number of proliferating cells in the ovarian cortex and lack of these cells in the ovarian medulla (stages E12, E18, 1D) simultaneous with decrease in the intensity of apoptosis only in the medulla indicates that proliferation is the dominant process involved in the cortical development, which constitutes the majority of the functional structure of the fully developed ovary. No pronounced changes in the expression of apoptosis-related genes found during embryogenesis suggest that they cannot be considered as important indicators of gonad development. The molecular mechanisms of the regulation of balance between apoptosis and proliferation in developing avian gonads need to be further investigated.

The expression of pituitary FSHbeta and LHbeta mRNA and gonadal FSH and LH receptor mRNA in the chicken embryo

In avian species, synthesis of sex steroids by embryonic gonads is regulated by luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). In order to elucidate the role of the two gonadotropins in gonadal axis development during the second half of chicken embryogenesis, pituitary expression of LH beta subunit (LHbeta) and FSH beta subunit (FSHbeta) mRNAs as well as gonadal expression of LH and FSH receptor (LHR and FSHR) mRNAs were determined on days 11 (E11) and 17 (E17) of embryonic development and after hatching (D1). In the pituitary of the female embryo, the gene expression of FSHbeta was the lowest on E11 and increased on E17. In the male pituitary, the expression of FSHbeta did not differ among the studied days. The FSHbeta mRNA expression on E11 was higher in the male than in the female pituitary gland. The expression of LHbeta mRNA in the female pituitary increased on D1 in comparison to E11. In the male pituitary gland, the expression of LHbeta gene was relatively constant. The expression of mRNA encoding FSHR in the ovary increased on E17, while in testes it did not differ among the studied days. There were no significant alterations in LHR gene expression in the ovary or in the testes in the examined period however, the gene expression on E17 was higher in the ovary than in the testes. We observed positive correlations between the pituitary FSHbeta mRNA expression and ovarian expression of FSHR mRNA (r = 0.63; p<0.01) as well as between LHbeta mRNA and LHR mRNA in the testes (r=0.65; p<0.01). The reported alterations in gene expression of FSHbeta, LHbeta and their receptors between sexes and among the stages of embryonic development indicate time- and sex-dependent action of gonadotropins in gonads of chicken embryos.

Signaling pathways involved in the effect of follicle-stimulating hormone on chick embryo testis cell proliferation

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the signaling pathways involved in the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) regulated mitogenic activity. For this purpose, 18-d-old chick embryo testis cells were dissociated and cultured for 60 h on polycarbonate membranes. The culture medium was Dulbecco modified Eagle's medium with or without high pure human FSH (hFSH), human recombinant FSH, or different regulators of tyrosine kinase activity as herbimycin A and genistein, or serine/threonine kinases [cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein serine kinase and protein kinase C] as cAMP, phorbol myristate, and forskolin. In some experiments the regulators were added simultaneously with hFSH. The [3H]-thymidine incorporation was used as an indicator of DNA synthesis. In addition, fragments of chick embryo testis were cultured in the presence or absence of FSH or herbimycin A, and 5-bromo-2'-deoxy-uridine was added to identify the proliferating cell subpopulations. The effect of hFSH on [3H]-thymidine incorporation began at 24 h, and the increment was significant at 36 and 60 h of culture. The hFSH as well as human recombinant FSH significantly stimulated [3H]-thymidine incorporation to testicular cells. The 5-bromo-2'-deoxy-uridine technique showed a high signal in pericordonal and interstitial cells of the hFSH-treated groups, confirming the results obtained using [3H]-thymidine uptake. The treatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor herbimycin A increased the [3H]-thymidine uptake, but genistein did not. Regulators of PKA such as cAMP and forskolin, as well as PKC regulators and the phorbol ester phorbol myristate, did not influence cell proliferation. In summary, an inhibitor of tyrosine kinase, herbimycin A, induced per se an increment in chick embryo testis cell proliferation, a fact that strongly suggests that tyrosine kinase signaling pathway functions by inhibiting the proliferation of these cells. On the other hand, the cAMP-PKA pathway had no significant role during the embryonic stage of chick embryo testis. Our results also showed that the effect of FSH on chick embryo cell proliferation occurs mainly in pericordonal and interstitial testis cells.

Ontogenesis of the Expression of Prolactin Receptor Messenger Ribonucleic Acid During Late Embryogenesis in Turkeys and Chickens

Changes in circulating levels of prolactin (PRL) and tissue content of PRL receptor (PRLR) messenger RNA (mRNA) in the liver, pancreas, kidney, and gonads (testis/ovary) were measured in turkey and chicken embryos from embryonic day (ED) 21 or ED15, respectively, to 1 d after hatch by real-time PCR. There were no differences between the sexes in chickens or turkeys. Both species had very similar patterns of PRL release and expression of PRLR mRNA, and no major differences were observed between turkey or chicken embryos. Plasma levels of PRL increased from low levels during the last week of embryonic development and were at significantly higher levels (about 4-fold) by 1 d after hatch. Similarly, in all tissues the content of PRLR mRNA was minimal at the outset and increased to reach maxima about the time of hatch. In both species, the highest levels of transcript were observed in the kidney followed by the gonad, liver, and pancreas. The tissue content of PRLR was correlated (0.6 to 0.8 dependent on the tissue) to circulating levels of PRL, which suggested that PRL may be associated with an increase in its receptor number around the time of hatch. Because levels of PRL and tissue content of PRLR mRNA increased around the time of hatch, this suggests that these tissues may be targets for PRL and may be involved in the physiologic changes occurring in embryos around the time of hatching.

Insulin Stimulates Proliferation but Not 17β-Estradiol Production in Cultured Chick Embryo Ovarian Cells

The development of the chick embryo gonads is influenced by gonadotropins [follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)]. We have previously shown that insulin enhanced the production of androgens in the testis of the newly hatched chicken and increased the proliferation of chick embryo testis cells. In the present paper, we have studied the effect of insulin on embryonic chick embryo ovarian cells and compared them with those of human FSH and hCG. The ovaries of 18-d-old chick embryos were dissociated and cultured for different periods in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium in the presence and absence of insulin, human FSH, hCG, and combinations of them. 3H-thymidine incorporation was used as an indicator of cell proliferation; steroids were measured by radioimmunoassay. Results showed that insulin enhanced the proliferation of ovarian cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Gonadotropins did not affect significantly the ovarian cell proliferation. Insulin did not change 17beta-estradiol production. The combination of insulin and FSH or insulin and hCG decreased the stimulation of estrogen secretion caused by the addition of the gonadotropins. In some experiments, ovarian cells were cultured with or without insulin, and subpopulations were identified. The results showed that insulin but not human FSH or hCG increased the proliferation of germinal cells after 60 h in culture. Insulin and human FSH did stimulate the other 2 subpopulations. In summary, present results suggest that insulin is an important hormone in the development of the chick embryo ovary.