Coordinated and cell-specific induction of both physiological plasminogen activators creates functionally redundant mechanisms for plasmin formation during ovulation

Endocrinology
A C HägglundT Ny

Abstract

Several lines of indirect evidence indicate that plasmin-mediated proteolysis plays a role in the breakdown of the follicle wall during ovulation. Consistent with this, the ovulation efficiency of mice lacking the two known physiological plasminogen activators (PAs), tissue-type PA (tPA) and urokinase-type PA (uPA), is reduced by 26%. Surprisingly, mice with a single deficiency of either tPA or uPA gene function were normal in their capacity to ovulate. In this study we used in situ hybridization and casein in situ zymography to localize the expression of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) encoding PAs and PA inhibitors and to examine the net PA activity in the mouse ovary at the time of ovulation. Although uPA mRNA expressed by granulosa cells is the most abundant and dramatically up-regulated PA before ovulation, a previously unnoticed coordinated induction oftPA mRNA was found in thecal-interstitial tissue. The existence of redundant mechanisms for plasmin production in the ovary may be the cause of the normal ovulation efficiency in single deficient mice lacking tPA or uPA. The expression of mRNAs for PA inhibitors, types 1 and 2, was low in the ovary, with minor inductions at restricted time points. In contrast, expression of protease...Continue Reading

Citations

Mar 24, 2011·Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology : RB&E·Robert Kuo-Kuang LeeSheng-Hsiang Li
Dec 31, 2002·Molecular Reproduction and Development·Julie BédardJacques G Lussier
Feb 6, 2008·Fertility and Sterility·Inge M W EbischRégine P M Steegers-Theunissen
Oct 14, 1998·Developmental Biology·J L PitmanC L MacLeod
Sep 11, 2007·The Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry : Official Journal of the Histochemistry Society·Heng ZhangCheng Zhu
Oct 5, 2021·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Yong Zhu

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