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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 290/3/R826    most recent 00078.2005v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Manni, L. Articles by Stener-Victorin, E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Manni, L. Articles by Stener-Victorin, E.

DEVELOPMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY AND PREGNANCY

Effect of anti-NGF on ovarian expression of ₁- and ₂-adrenoceptors, TrkA, p75^NTR, and tyrosine hydroxylase in rats with steroid-induced polycystic ovaries

¹Cardiovascular Institute, Wallenberg Laboratory, Sahlgrenska Academy, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden; ²Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, Italy; ³Department of Pathology and Cytology, Akademiska Sjukhuset, Uppsala; ⁴Rehabilitation Medicine, Danderyds Hospital, Stockholm; and ⁵Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and ⁶Institute of Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy, Sahlgrenska Academy, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden

Submitted 4 February 2005 ; accepted in final form 26 September 2005

Estradiol valerate (EV)-induced polycystic ovaries (PCO) in rats are associated with higher ovarian release and content of norepinephrine, decreased ₂-adrenoceptors (ARs), and dysregulated expression of ₁-AR subtypes, all preceded by an increase in the production of ovarian NGF. The aim of this study was to further elucidate the role of NGF in the ovaries by blocking the action of NGF during development of EV-induced PCO in rats. Control and EV-injected rats were treated with intraperitoneal injections of IgG (control and PCO groups) or with anti-NGF antibodies (anti-NGF and PCO anti-NGF groups) every third day for 5 wk starting from the day of PCO induction. Rat weight, estrous cyclicity, ovarian morphology, ovarian mRNA, and protein expression of ₁-AR subtypes, ₂-AR, the NGF receptor tyrosine kinase A (TrkA), p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75^NTR), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) were analyzed. Ovaries in both PCO and PCO anti-NGF groups decreased in size as well as in number and size of corpora lutea. mRNA expression of _1a-AR and TrkA in the ovaries was lower, whereas expression of _1b- and _1d-AR and TH was higher, in the PCO group than in controls. Protein quantities of ₁-ARs, TrkA, p75^NTR, and TH were higher in the PCO group compared with controls, whereas the protein content of ₂-AR was lower. Anti-NGF treatment in the PCO group restored all changes in mRNA and protein content, except that of _1b-AR and TrkA mRNAs, to control levels. The results indicate that the NGF/NGF receptor system plays a role in the pathogenesis of EV-induced PCO in rats.

nerve growth factors; sympathetic nervous system; ovarian innervation; tyrosine kinase A; p75 neutrophin receptor