Regulation of AMH and SCF expression in human granulosa cells by GnRH agonist and antagonist

With the progress of cancer treatment, fertility preservation has become an urgent requisition. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) and antagonist (GnRH-ant) have been used to protect fertility for these patients. However, studies showed that although GnRH-a and GnRH-ant had a comparable down-regulating effect on the pituitary, GnRH-ant could not preserve ovarian function. Moreover, GnRHant alone could deplete primordial follicles. It might be speculated that an additional intraovarian system existed except the pituitary system. Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and Stem cell factor (SCF) proved to be the key factors in follicle recruitment and development. The balance between AMH and SCF was tightly related to ovarian reserve. To investigate the intraovarian effect of GnRH-a or GnRH-ant on ovarian reserve, we examined AMH and SCF expression in human granulosa cells (hGCs). GCs were isolated from follicular aspirates after oocyte removal from the patients undergoing assisted reproduction techniques. After pretreated with GnRH-a (triptorelin) or GnRH-ant (cetrorelix) for 48 h, mRNA and protein of AMH and SCF were analyzed by Real-time PCR and Immunoblot assay respectively. The results indicated that AMH mRNA and protein expressions were down-regulated in the GnRH-ant groups, SCF mRNA and protein expressions were up-regulated in the high-dose GnRH-ant group. There was no difference of AMH and SCF expression in the GnRH-a group or GnRH-a + GnRH-ant group compared with control. These results suggested the effects of GnRH-a and GnRH-ant on the regulation of AMH and SCF were different, which may provide insight into the mechanism of GnRH-a and GnRH-ant interventions on ovarian reserve.