Caspase-3, TUNEL and ultrastructural studies of small follicles in adult human ovarian biopsies

The aim of this study was to investigate evidence for cell death by apoptosis in small unilaminar ovarian follicles of adult humans. METHODS: Cortical biopsies from 13 healthy donors were either frozen and protein extracted for western blots or fixed for immunohistochemistry (IH) to localize procasp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Human reproduction (Oxford) 2006-08, Vol.21 (8), p.1974-1980
Main Authors: Hurst, Peter R., Mora, Jocelyn M., Fenwick, Mark A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Apoptosis - physiology
Biological and medical sciences
Biopsy
Blotting, Western
Caspase 3
Caspases - analysis
Enzyme Precursors - analysis
Female
Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
In Situ Nick-End Labeling
Medical sciences
Microscopy, Confocal
Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
Ovarian Follicle - pathology
Ovarian Follicle - ultrastructure
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Summary:The aim of this study was to investigate evidence for cell death by apoptosis in small unilaminar ovarian follicles of adult humans. METHODS: Cortical biopsies from 13 healthy donors were either frozen and protein extracted for western blots or fixed for immunohistochemistry (IH) to localize procaspase-3 and active-caspase-3, to detect DNA fragmentation in situ and undertake routine transmission electron microscopy (TEM). RESULTS: Blots identified the presence of the inactive pro-form of caspase-3, and IH localized this in all follicles studied. In contrast, the active form of caspase-3, a major effector of apoptosis, was only detected in large antral follicles that also had microscopic signs of atresia. Active caspase-3 was not detected in primordial (n = 87), primary (n = 8) or secondary follicles. The atretic follicles were also the only ovarian structures with positive evidence of DNA fragmentation after terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labelling (TUNEL) treatment. Confocal microscopy showed dual labelling for both active caspase-3 and TUNEL in individual granulosa cells in large atretic follicles, but no such labelling was evident in any other follicles. No apoptotic bodies were seen by TEM in sections of 39 small follicles from seven patients. CONCLUSION: This study found evidence for TUNEL and active caspase-3 only in human ovarian antral follicles.
ISSN:0268-1161
1460-2350
DOI:10.1093/humrep/del109