Abstract:

AIM: To explore the effect of M-CSF and its receptor on the response of ovarian stimulation by comparing the expression of macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) and its receptor mRNA in luteinized granulosa cells in patients after using combinant human follicle stimulating hormone.  METHODS: Ninety-six patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and 157 patients with non-PCOS underwent in vitro fertilization were divided into four groups, i.e. the PCOS fast and slow reaction group, and the non PCOS fast and slow reaction group, according to their response to recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (r-FSH). Luteinized granulosa cells were then collected after mature follicular puncture. SYBR Green quantitative RT-PCR method was used to detect the expression of M-CSF, M-CSFR and GAPDH in the mRNA gene of the granulosa cells samples. The relative quantity of these genes were determined by comparing the threshold value (CT value of the target gene subtract CT value of housekeeping gene). The difference of gene expression between two groups was compared by t test, and Spearman correlation analysis was used to describe the data relationships. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed in the use of r-FSH among the different groups (P>0.05). Neither was there any significant difference in mRNA quantity of M-CSF or M-CSFR between the entire PCOS and non PCOS patients (P>0.05). After grouping, no significant difference was observed between any two groups in the expression of M-CSF(P>0.05). The expression of M-CSFR in PCOS slow response group was significantly lower than that of PCOS fast response group (P=0.006). Meanwhile, the Spearman analysis showed that the correlation between the quantification of M-CSFR mRNA and the days of r-FSH in PCOS group was statistically significant(P=0.023); the correlation coefficient was 0.511. CONCLUSION: The slow response to ovarian stimulation in PCOS patients is possibly related to the reduction of granulocyte M-CSFR expression. The M-CSF and its receptor may be involved in the ovarian stimulation response process.

Key words: macrophage colony stimulatory factor, human follicle stimulating hormone, polycystic ovary syndrome, luteinized granulosa cells