No abstract

Luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) is a specific membrane receptor on the granulosa and theca cells that bind to luteinizing hormone (LH), resulting in androgen and progesterone production. Hence, the regulation of LHR expression is necessary for follicle maturation, ovulation and corpus luteum formation. We examined the immunolocalization of LHR in cyclic gilt ovaries. The ovaries were obtained from 21 gilts aged 326.0 ± 38.7 days and weighing 154.6 ± 15.7 kg. The ovarian tissues were incubated with rabbit anti-LHR polyclonal antibody. The follicles were categorized as primordial, primary, preantral and antral follicles. Ovarian phase was categorized as either follicular or luteal phases. The immunolocalization of LHR was clearly expressed in primary, preantral and antral follicles. LHR immunostaining was detected in the cytoplasm of granulosa, theca interna and luteal cells. LHR immunostaining was evaluated using imaging software. LHR immunostaining in the theca interna cells in antral follicles was almost twice as intense as that in preantral follicles (65.4% versus 38.3%, P < 0.01). LHR immunostaining was higher in the follicular phase than in the luteal phase (58.6% versus 45.2%, P < 0.05). In conclusion, the expression of LHR in the theca interna cells of antral follicles in the follicular phase was higher than in the luteal phase. The expression of LHR in all types of the follicles indicates that LHR may impact follicular development from the primary follicle stage onwards.

This study aimed to investigate leptin immuno-staining of the porcine ovary in different reproductive stages. Ovaries from 21 gilts were collected from slaughterhouses. The ovarian tissue sections were incubated with a polyclonal anti-leptin as a primary antibody. The immuno-staining in ovarian tissue compartments was calculated using imaging software. Leptin immuno-staining was found in primordial, primary, preantral and antral follicles. Leptin immuno-staining was expressed in the oocyte and granulosa and theca interna layers in both preantral and antral follicles. In the corpora lutea, leptin immuno-staining was found in the cytoplasm of the luteal cells. The leptin immuno-staining in the granulosa cell layer of preantral follicles did not differ compared to antral follicles (90.7 and 91.3%, respectively, P > 0.05). However, the leptin immuno-staining in the theca interna layer of preantral follicles was lower than antral follicles (49.4 and 74.3%, respectively, P < 0.001). There was no difference in leptin immuno-staining in the granulosa cell layer between follicular and luteal phases (92.4 and 89.7%, respectively, P > 0.05). However, the leptin immuno-staining in the theca interna layer of follicular phase was greater than that in the luteal phase (72.7 and 51.0%, respectively, P < 0.001). These findings indicated that leptin exists in different compartments of the porcine ovary, including the oocyte, granulosa cells, theca interna cells, corpus luteum, blood vessel and smooth muscles. Therefore, this morphological study confirmed a close relationship between leptin and ovarian function in the pig.