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Transcription factors (TFs) are known to be involved in regulating the expression of several classes of genes during folliculogenesis. However, the regulatory role of TFs during oxidative stress (OS) is not fully understood. The current study was aimed to investigate the regulation of the TFs in bovine granulosa cells (bGCs) during exposure to OS induced by H 2 O 2 in vitro. For this, bGCs derived from ovarian follicles were cultured in vitro till their confluency and then treated with H 2 O 2 for 40 min. Twenty-four hours later, cells were subjected to various phenotypic and gene expression analyses for genes related to TFs, endoplasmic reticulum stress, apoptosis, cell proliferation, and differentiation markers. The bGCs exhibited higher reactive oxygen species accumulation, DNA fragmentation, and endoplasmic reticulum stress accompanied by reduction of mitochondrial activity after exposure to OS. In addition, higher lipid accumulation and lower cell proliferation were noticed in H 2 O 2 -challenged cells. The mRNA level of TFs including NRF2, E2F1, KLF6, KLF9, FOS, SREBF1, SREBF2, and NOTCH1 was increased in H 2 O 2 -treated cells compared with non-treated controls. However, the expression level of KLF4 and its downstream gene, CCNB1, were downregulated in the H 2 O 2 -challenged group. Moreover, targeted inhibition of NRF2 using small interference RNA resulted in reduced expression of KLF9, FOS, SREBF2, and NOTCH1 genes, while the expression of KLF4 was upregulated. Taken together, bovine granulosa cells exposed to OS exhibited differential expression of various transcription factors, which are mediated by the NRF2 signaling pathway., (© 2021. This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Lead (Pb), one of the pervasive and protracted environmental heavy metals, is believed to affect the female reproductive system in many species. The Nrf2 and NF-κB are the two key transcriptional factors regulating cellular redox status and response against stress and inflammation respectively, showing an interaction between each other. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Pb on bovine granulosa cells (GCs) and its association with the regulation of Nrf2 and NF-κB pathways. For this, bovine GCs were cultured in vitro and exposed to different doses of Pb for 2 h. Cellular response to Pb insult was investigated 24 h post treatment. Results showed that exposure of GCs to Pb-induced ROS accumulation and protein carbonylation. Additionally, GCs exhibited reduction in cell viability and decrease in the expression of cell proliferation marker genes (CCND2 and PCNA). This was accompanied by cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase. Moreover, Pb downregulated both Nrf2 and NF-κB and their downstream genes. Lead increased the expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress marker genes (GRP78 and CHOP) and the proapoptotic gene (caspase-3) while the antiapoptotic gene (BCL-2) was reduced. Our findings suggest that Pb-driven oxidative stress affected GCs proliferation, enhances ER stress, induces cell cycle arrest and mediates apoptosis probably via disruption of Nrf2/NF-κB cross-talk. However, further functional analysis is required to explain different aspects of Nrf2 and NF-κB interactions under metal challenge.

Nrf2 is a redox sensitive transcription factor regulating the expression of antioxidant genes as defense mechanism against various stressors. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential role of noncoding miRNAs as endogenous and quercetin as exogenous regulators of Nrf2 pathway in bovine granulosa cells. For this cultured granulosa cells were used for modulation of miRNAs (miR-28, 153 and miR-708) targeting the bovine Nrf2 and supplementation of quercentin to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of the Nrf2 antioxidant system. Moreover, cultured cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide to induce oxidative stress in those cells. Our results showed that, oxidative stress activated the expression of Nrf2 as a defense mechanism, while suppressing the expression of those miRNAs. Overexpression of those miRNAs resulted in downregulation of Nrf2 expression resulted in higher ROS accumulation, reduced mitochondrial activity and cellular proliferation. Quercetin supplementation showed its protective role against oxidative stress induced by H₂O₂ by inducing the expression of antioxidant enzymes. In conclusion, this study highlighted the involvement of miR-153, miR-28 and miR-708 in regulatory network of Nrf2 mediated antioxidant system in bovine granulosa cells function. Furthermore, quercetin at a low dose played a protective role in bovine granulosa cells against oxidative stress damage.

Background: The granulosa cells are indispensable for follicular development and its function is orchestrated by several genes, which in turn posttranscriptionally regulated by microRNAs (miRNA). In our previous study, the miRRNA-424/503 cluster was found to be highly abundant in bovine granulosa cells (bGCs) of preovulatory dominant follicle compared to subordinate counterpart at day 19 of the bovine estrous cycle. Other study also indicated the involvement of miR-424/503 cluster in tumour cell resistance to apoptosis suggesting this miRNA cluster may involve in cell survival. However, the role of miR-424/503 cluster in granulosa cell function remains elusive Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the role of miRNA-424/503 cluster in bGCs function using microRNA gain- and loss-of-function approaches., Results: The role of miR-424/503 cluster members in granulosa cell function was investigated by overexpressing or inhibiting its activity in vitro cultured granulosa cells using miR-424/503 mimic or inhibitor, respectively. Luciferase reporter assay showed that SMAD7 and ACVR2A are the direct targets of the miRNA-424/503 cluster members. In line with this, overexpression of miRNA-424/503 cluster members using its mimic and inhibition of its activity by its inhibitor reduced and increased, respectively the expression of SMAD7 and ACVR2A. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis indicated that overexpression of miRNA-424/503 cluster members enhanced bGCs proliferation by promoting G1- to S- phase cell cycle transition. Modulation of miRNA-424/503 cluster members tended to increase phosphorylation of SMAD2/3 in the Activin signalling pathway. Moreover, sequence specific knockdown of SMAD7, the target gene of miRNA-424/503 cluster members, using small interfering RNA also revealed similar phenotypic and molecular alterations observed when miRNA-424/503 cluster members were overexpressed. Similarly, to get more insight about the role of miRNA-424/503 cluster members in activin signalling pathway, granulosa cells were treated with activin A. Activin A treatment increased cell proliferation and downregulation of both miRNA-424/503 members and its target gene, indicated the presence of negative feedback loop between activin A and the expression of miRNA-424/503., Conclusion: This study suggests that the miRNA-424/503 cluster members are involved in regulating bovine granulosa cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. Further, miRNA-424/503 cluster members target the SMAD7 and ACVR2A genes which are involved in the activin signalling pathway.

In most mammalian species including cattle, heat stress has detrimental effects on ovarian function through disturbing estradiol production and viability of granulosa cells. However, effect of heat stress and underlying cellular defense mechanisms of bovine granulosa cells is not fully understood. Here, we aimed to investigate the effect of heat stress on granulosa cells function and the associated defense mechanism. For this an in vitro granulosa cell model was used to investigate the role of elevated temperature (41 °C) on granulosa cell functions at 24 h and 48 h exposure compared to the control cultured at 37 °C. The results showed that reactive oxygen species level was higher in cells under 41 °C at 24 h compared to control. In response to increased reactive oxygen species level, the expression of NRF2 and its antioxidant genes, CAT and PRDX1 were higher in bovine granulosa cells exposed to heat stress. Interestingly, heat stress markedly increased expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress marker genes; GRP78 and GRP94, in cultured bovine granulosa cells at 24 h, and higher protein accumulation of GRP78 accompanied by increased expression of apoptotic genes, BAX and CASPASE-3. Moreover, heat stress significantly decreased the bovine granulosa cells proliferation, which was supported by decreased in the expression of proliferation marker gene PCNA. All in all heat stress induce reactive oxygen species accumulation, apoptosis and reduced proliferation, which trigger the NRF2 mediated oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress response by bovine granulosa cells., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Various environmental insults including diseases, heat and oxidative stress could lead to abnormal growth, functions and apoptosis in granulosa cells during ovarian follicle growth and oocyte maturation. Despite the fact that cells exposed to oxidative stress are responding transcriptionally, the potential release of transcripts associated with oxidative stress response into extracellular space through exosomes is not yet determined. Therefore, here we aimed to investigate the effect of oxidative stress in bovine granulosa cells in vitro on the cellular and exosome mediated defense mechanisms. Bovine granulosa cells were aspirated from ovarian follicles and cultured in DMEM/F-12 Ham culture medium supplemented with 10% exosome-depleted fetal bovine serum. In the first experiment sub-confluent cells were treated with 5 μM H2O2 for 40 min to induce oxidative stress. Thereafter, cells were subjected to ROS and mitochondrial staining, cell proliferation and cell cycle assays. Furthermore, gene and protein expression analysis were performed in H2O2-challenged versus control group 24 hr post-treatment using qRT-PCR and immune blotting or immunocytochemistry assay, respectively. Moreover, exosomes were isolated from spent media using ultracentrifugation procedure, and subsequently used for RNA isolation and qRT-PCR. In the second experiment, exosomes released by granulosa cells under oxidative stress (StressExo) or those released by granulosa cells without oxidative stress (NormalExo) were co-incubated with bovine granulosa cells in vitro to proof the potential horizontal transfer of defense molecules from exosomes to granulosa cells and investigate any phenotype changes. Exposure of bovine granulosa cells to H2O2 induced the accumulation of ROS, reduced mitochondrial activity, increased expression of Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant genes (both mRNA and protein), altered the cell cycle transitions and induced cellular apoptosis. Granulosa cells exposed to oxidative stress released exosomes enriched with mRNA of Nrf2 and candidate antioxidants. Subsequent co-incubation of StressExo with cultured granulosa cells could alter the relative abundance of cellular oxidative stress response molecules including Nrf2 and antioxidants CAT, PRDX1 and TXN1. The present study provide evidences that granulosa cells exposed to oxidative stress conditions react to stress by activating cascades of cellular antioxidant molecules which can also be released into extracellular environment through exosomes.

Background: Oocyte maturation and preimplantation embryo development are controlled by array of genes that are post-transcriptionally regulated by microRNAs. With respect to this, previously, we identified altered expression of microRNA-130b (miR-130b) during oocyte maturation. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of miR-130b in bovine granulosa and cumulus cell function, oocyte maturation and preimplantation embryo development using gain- and loss-of- function approach., Methods: For this study, the granulosa cells, cumulus cells and the oocytes were collected from ovaries obtained from slaughterhouse. The genes targeted by miR-130b were identified using dual-luciferase reporter assay. The role of miR-130b in granulosa and cumulus cell function was investigated by increasing and inhibiting its expression in in vitro cultured cells using miR-130b precursor and inhibitor, respectively while the role of miR-130b on oocyte development, immature oocytes were microinjected with miR-130b precursor and inhibitor and the polar body extrusion, the proportion of oocytes reaching to metaphase II stage and the mitochondrial were determined in each oocyte group 22 h after microinjection. Moreover, to investigate the role of miR-130b during preimplantation embryo development, zygote stage embryos were microinjected with miR-130b precursor or inhibitor and the cleavage rate, morula and blastocyst formation was analyzed in embryos derived from each zygote group after in vitro culture., Results: The luciferase assay showed that SMAD5 and MSK1 genes were identified as the direct targets of miR-130b. Overexpression of miR-130b increased the granulosa and cumulus cell proliferation, while inhibition showed the opposite phenotype. Apart from these, modulation of miR-130b altered the lactate production and cholesterol biosynthesis in cumulus cells. Furthermore, inhibition of miR-130b expression during oocyte in vitro maturation reduced the first polar body extrusion, the proportion of oocytes reaching to metaphase II stage and the mitochondrial activity, while inhibition of miR-130b during preimplantation embryo development significantly reduced morula and blastocyst formation., Conclusion: This study demonstrated that in vitro functional modulation of miR-130b affected granulosa and cumulus cell proliferation and survival, oocyte maturation, morula and blastocyst formation suggesting that miR-130b is involved in bovine oocyte maturation and preimplantation embryo development.

Granulosa cell proliferation and differentiation are key developmental steps involved in the formation of the dominant follicle eligible for ovulation. This process is, in turn, regulated by spatiotemporally emerging molecular events. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are one of the molecular signatures believed to regulate granulosa cell function by fine-tuning gene expression. Previously, we showed that the miR-17-92 cluster was differentially expressed in granulosa cells from subordinate and dominant follicles at day 19 of the estrous cycle. However, the role of this miRNA cluster in bovine follicular cell function is not known. Therefore, in the present study, we investigate the role of the miR-17-92 cluster in granulosa cell function by using an in vitro model. Target prediction and luciferase assay analysis revealed that the miR-17-92 cluster coordinately regulated the PTEN and BMPR2 genes. Overexpression of the miR-17-92 cluster by using a mimic promoted granulosa cell proliferation and reduced the proportion of differentiated cells. However, cluster inhibition resulted in decreased proliferation and increased differentiation in granulosa cells. This was further supported by expression analysis of marker genes of proliferation and differentiation. The role of the miR-17-92 cluster was cross-validated by selective knockdown of its target genes by the short interfering RNA technique. Suppression of the PTEN and BMPR2 genes revealed similar phenotypic and molecular alterations as observed when the granulosa cells were transfected with the miR-17-92 cluster mimic. Thus, the miR-17-92 cluster is involved in granulosa cell proliferation and differentiation by coordinately targeting the PTEN and BMPR2 genes.

Large-scale expression profiling of micro-RNAs (miRNAs) in bovine granulosa cells from dominant and subordinate follicles on Day 19 of the estrous cycle revealed enriched micro-RNA-183-96-182 cluster miRNAs in preovulatory dominant follicles that coordinately regulate the forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) gene. However, little is known about the role of this cluster in bovine granulosa cell function. We used an in vitro granulosa cell culture model to investigate this role. Granulosa cells aspirated from small growing follicles (3-5 mm in diameter) were cultured in Dulbecco modified Eagle medium/F-12 medium supplemented with fetal bovine serum and transfected with locked nucleic acid-based miRNA mimics, inhibitors, and corresponding negative controls. Overexpression of the miRNA cluster resulted in suppression of FOXO1 mRNA and protein, whereas inhibition of the cluster increased expression of FOXO1 mRNA. Overexpression also increased the relative rate of cell proliferation, whereas inhibition slowed it down. Similarly, the proportion of cells under G0/G1 arrest declined, whereas the ratio of cells in S phase increased in response to miR-183-96-182 overexpression. Selective knockdown of FOXO1 mRNA using anti-FOXO1 small interfering RNA increased the rate of granulosa cell proliferation, decreased the proportion of cells under G0/G1 arrest, and increased the proportion of cells in the S phase of cell cycle. Our data suggest that miR-183-96-182 cluster miRNAs promote proliferation and G1/S transition of bovine granulosa cells by coordinately targeting FOXO1, suggesting a critical role in granulosa cell function. MicroRNA-183-96-182 cluster regulates bovine granulosa cell function by targeting FOXO1 gene., (© 2016 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.)

In bovine, ovarian follicles grow in a wave-like fashion with commonly 2 or 3 follicular waves emerging per estrous cycle. The dominant follicle of the follicular wave which coincides with the LH-surge becomes ovulatory, leaving the subordinate follicles to undergo atresia. These physiological processes are controlled by timely and spatially expressed genes and gene products, which in turn are regulated by post-transcriptional regulators. MicroRNAs, a class of short non-coding RNA molecules, are one of the important posttranscriptional regulators of genes associated with various cellular processes. Here we investigated the expression pattern of miRNAs in granulosa cells of bovine preovulatory dominant and subordinate follicles during the late follicular phase of bovine estrous cycle using Illumina miRNA deep sequencing. In addition to 11 putative novel miRNAs, a total of 315 and 323 known miRNAs were detected in preovulatory dominant and subordinate follicles, respectively. Moreover, in comparison with the subordinate follicles, a total of 64 miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed in preovulatory dominant follicles, of which 34 miRNAs including the miR-132 and miR-183 clusters were significantly enriched, and 30 miRNAs including the miR-17-92 cluster, bta-miR-409a and bta-miR-378 were significantly down regulated in preovulatory dominant follicles. In-silico pathway analysis revealed that canonical pathways related to oncogenesis, cell adhesion, cell proliferation, apoptosis and metabolism were significantly enriched by the predicted target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs. Furthermore, Luciferase reporter assay analysis showed that one of the differentially regulated miRNAs, the miR-183 cluster miRNAs, were validated to target the 3'-UTR of FOXO1 gene. Moreover FOXO1 was highly enriched in granulosa cells of subordinate follicles in comparison with the preovulatory dominant follicles demonstrating reciprocal expression pattern with miR-183 cluster miRNAs. In conclusion, the presence of distinct sets of miRNAs in granulosa cells of preovulatory dominant and subordinate follicles supports the potential role of miRNAs in post-transcriptional regulation of genes involved in bovine follicular development during the late follicular phase of the estrous cycle.

This study aimed to investigate the miRNA expression patterns in granulosa cells of subordinate (SF) and dominant follicle (DF) during the early luteal phase of the bovine estrous cycle. For this, miRNA enriched total RNA isolated from granulosa cells of SF and DF obtained from heifers slaughtered at day 3 and day 7 of the estrous cycle was used for miRNAs deep sequencing. The results revealed that including 17 candidate novel miRNAs, several known miRNAs (n = 291-318) were detected in SF and DF at days 3 and 7 of the estrous cycle of which 244 miRNAs were common to all follicle groups. The let-7 families, bta-miR-10b, bta-miR-26a, bta-miR-99b and bta-miR-27b were among abundantly expressed miRNAs in both SF and DF at both days of the estrous cycle. Further analysis revealed that the expression patterns of 16 miRNAs including bta-miR-449a, bta-miR-449c and bta-miR-222 were differentially expressed between the granulosa cells of SF and DF at day 3 of the estrous cycle. However, at day 7 of the estrous cycle, 108 miRNAs including bta-miR-409a, bta-miR-383 and bta-miR-184 were differentially expressed between the two groups of granulosa cell revealing the presence of distinct miRNA expression profile changes between the two follicular stages at day 7 than day 3 of the estrous cycle. In addition, unlike the SF, marked temporal miRNA expression dynamics was observed in DF groups between day 3 and 7 of the estrous cycle. Target gene prediction and pathway analysis revealed that major signaling associated with follicular development including Wnt signaling, TGF-beta signaling, oocyte meiosis and GnRH signaling were affected by differentially expressed miRNAs. Thus, this study highlights the miRNA expression patterns of granulosa cells in subordinate and dominant follicles that could be associated with follicular recruitment, selection and dominance during the early luteal phase of the bovine estrous cycle.