This Article Full Text (PDF) References 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 PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tsai, E.-M. Articles by Lee, J.-N. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Leptin Suppresses Human Chorionic Gonadotropin-Induced Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression and Prostaglandin Production in Cultured Human Granulose Luteal Cells

Te-Fu Chan, MD

Yu Chang, MD

Po-Hui Chiang, MD, PhD

Chiao-Ya Chuang, MS

Cheng-Yu Long, MD

Cheen-Yin Chai, MD, PhD

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Urology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC; and Department of Pathology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC

Jau-Nan Lee, MD, PhD

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Urology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC; and Department of Pathology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC tfchan{at}kmu.edu.tw

Objective: In a previous study, we demonstrated that high leptin levels at the time of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection impaired the pregnancy rate for women undergoing in vitro fertilization. In this study we examine leptin's effect on prostaglandin formation and cyclooxygenase (COX) expression induced by hCG in human granulose luteal (GL) cells.

Methods: Human GL cells were obtained from women undergoing ovarian hyperstimulation. COX expression and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase (mPGES) expression, as well as prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) and prostaglandin F₂ (PGF₂) production were studied. This was done in both the presence and absence of leptin following hCG stimulation PGE₂ and PGF₂ were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of COX and mPGES were investigated by using immunocytochemical techniques in addition to Western blotting and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis.

Results: HCG and leptin do not affect COX-1 expression. However, leptin blocked COX-2 and mPGES expression induced by hCG. Moreover, while leptin, in various concentrations, did not affect PGE₂ and PGF₂ levels, it inhibited the elevation of PGE₂ and PGF₂ concentrations in response to hCG.

Conclusions: The study confirms that the expression of COX-2 is up-regulated by hCG in human GL cells. Leptin suppress hCG-induced PGE₂ formation through the inhibition of COX-2 and mPGES expression. The preliminary results suggest a potential inhibiting effect of leptin on human GL cells induced by hCG.

Key Words: COX • granulosa-luteal cell • leptin • prostaglandin

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?