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Anti-Müllerian hormone promotes pre-antral follicle growth, but inhibits antral follicle maturation and dominant follicle selection in primates
Abstract STUDY QUESTION What are the direct effects and physiological role of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) during primate follicular development and function at specific stages of folliculogenesis? SUMMARY ANSWER AMH actions in the primate ovary may be stage-dependent, directly promoting pre-antral...
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Published in: | Human reproduction (Oxford) 2016-07, Vol.31 (7), p.1522-1530 |
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Main Authors: | , , , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
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Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | Abstract
STUDY QUESTION
What are the direct effects and physiological role of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) during primate follicular development and function at specific stages of folliculogenesis?
SUMMARY ANSWER
AMH actions in the primate ovary may be stage-dependent, directly promoting pre-antral follicle growth while inhibiting antral follicle maturation and dominant follicle selection.
WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY
AMH is expressed in the adult ovary, particularly in developing follicles. Studies in mice suggest that AMH suppresses pre-antral follicle growth in vitro, and inhibits primordial follicle recruitment and FSH-stimulated antral follicle steroidogenesis.
STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION
For in vitro study, secondary follicles were isolated from ovaries of 12 rhesus macaques and cultured for 5 weeks. For in vivo study, intraovarian infusion was conducted on five monkeys for the entire follicular phase during two spontaneous menstrual cycles.
PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS
For in vitro study, individual follicles were cultured in a 5% O2 environment, in alpha minimum essential medium supplemented with recombinant human FSH. Follicles were randomly assigned to treatments of recombinant human AMH protein or neutralizing anti-human AMH antibody (AMH-Ab). Follicle survival, growth, steroid production, steroidogenic enzyme expression, and oocyte maturation were assessed. For in vivo study, ovaries were infused with control vehicle or AMH-Ab during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Cycle length, serum steroid levels, and antral follicle growth were evaluated.
MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE
AMH exposure during culture weeks 0–3 (pre-antral stage) promoted, while AMH-Ab delayed, antrum formation of growing follicles compared with controls. AMH treatment during culture weeks 3–5 (antral stage) decreased (P < 0.05) estradiol (E2) production, as well as the mRNA expression of cytochrome P450 family 19 subfamily A polypeptide 1, by antral follicles relative to controls, whereas AMH-Ab increased (P < 0.05) follicular mRNA levels of the enzyme. Intraovarian infusion of AMH-Ab during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle increased (P < 0.05) the average levels of serum E2 compared with those of the control cycles. Three of the five AMH-Ab-treated ovaries displayed multiple (n = 2–9) medium-to-large (2–8 mm) antral follicles at the mid-cycle E2 peak, whereas only one large (4–7 mm) antral follicle was observed in all monkeys during their con |
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ISSN: | 0268-1161 1460-2350 |
DOI: | 10.1093/humrep/dew100 |