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Adropin may regulate corpus luteum formation and its function in adult mouse ovary

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Abstract

Background

Adropin, a unique peptide hormone, has been associated with the regulation of several physiological processes, including glucose homeostasis, fatty acid metabolism, and neovascularization. However, its possible role in ovarian function is not understood. Our objective was to examine the expression of adropin and its putative receptor, GPR19, in the ovaries of mice at various phases of the estrous cycle.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis were performed to explore the localization and changes in expression of adropin and GPR19 in the ovaries during different phases of the estrous cycle in mice. Hormonal assays were performed with ELISA. An in vitro study was performed to examine the direct effect of adropin (10, 100 ng/ml) on ovarian function.

Results

A western blot study showed that adropin and GPR19 proteins were maximum during the estrus phase of the estrous cycle. Interestingly, adropin and GPR19 displayed intense immunoreactivity in granulosa cells of large antral follicles and corpus luteum. This suggested the possible involvement of adropin in corpus luteum formation. Adropin treatment stimulated progesterone synthesis by increasing GPR19, StAR, CYP11A1, and 3β-HSD expressions, while it decreased estrogen synthesis by inhibiting 17β-HSD and aromatase protein expressions. Moreover, adropin treatment upregulated the cell cycle arrest-CDK inhibitor 1B (p27kip1), pERK1/2, and angiogenic protein (EG VEGF) that are involved in the process of luteinization.

Conclusions

Adropin GPR19 signaling promotes the synthesis of progesterone and upregulates the expression of p27kip1, EG VEGF, and erk1/2, resulting in cell cycle arrest and neovascularization, which ultimately leads to corpus luteum formation.

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Acknowledgements

Shweta Maurya and Shashank Tripathi express sincere gratitude to CSIR, New Delhi, India, for providing fellowship as Junior and Senior Research Fellow. We also warmly thank the Department of Science and Technology-Funds for improvement of S & T infrastructure and the University Grant Commission-Centre of Advanced Study program to Department of Zoology, BHU, Varanasi, India. We are also most grateful to Mr. Sanjiv Singh, Department of Statistics, BHU, Varanasi, India for his statistical assistance.

Funding

This work was financially supported by DST-SERB (File no. ECR/2016/001883/LS), New Delhi, India.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, -221005, Varanasi, India

    Shweta Maurya, Shashank Tripathi & Ajit Singh

  2. RBMCH Division, ICMR, -110029, New Delhi, India

    Taruna Arora

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Contributions

All authors conceptualized and designed the experiments. Shweta Maurya and Shashank Tripathi carried out all the experiments and prepared the figures and graphs. All authors analyzed the data. Shweta Maurya wrote the manuscript. Ajit Singh reviewed the work and edited the manuscript. All the authors read and agreed to publish the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Ajit Singh.

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The Institutional Animal Ethical Committee (IAEC), Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University authorized all experimental techniques, including animals (Mus musculus), in accordance with the ethical standards adopted by the Committee for the purpose of control and supervision of experiments on animals (CPCSEA), Government of India (BHU/ DoZ/ IAEC/2019-20/034).

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Maurya, S., Tripathi, S., Arora, T. et al. Adropin may regulate corpus luteum formation and its function in adult mouse ovary. Hormones 22, 725–739 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42000-023-00476-0

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