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Slit/Robo pathway participates in luteal cells apoptosis

ZHANG Xue-Jing¹, MI Mei-Yan², HAO Wei-Li¹, GAO Bu-Lang^1,*

¹Department of Scientific Research Center, Shijiazhuang First Hospital, Shijiazhuang 050011, China；²Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Shijiazhuang Fourth Hospital, Shijiazhuang 050011, China

Abstract

This study was aimed to examine the expression and function of Slit/Robo family members in mouse ovary. Real-time PCR was used to assess the mRNA expression levels of Slit/Robo family members, and immunohistochemistry was used to examine the location of Slit2 and Robo1 in the ovary. The mRNA and protein expression levels of Slit2 and Robo1 in early-, middle- and late-phase corpus luteum (CL) were examined by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Blocking agent ROBO1/Fc chimera was used in the luteal cells in vitro to examine the function of Slit/Robo signaling pathway in mouse CL. The results showed that, among the Slit/Robo family members, the expression levels of ligand Slit2 and receptor Robo1 were the highest in mouse ovarian tissue. Moreover, both of them were specifically expressed in mouse luteal cells. Compared with proestrus ovaries, the expression levels of Slit2 and Robo1 mRNA in the ovaries during diestrus were significantly up-regulated (P < 0.01, P < 0.001). The mRNA expression levels of Slit2 and Robo1 in late-phase CL were significantly increased when compared with pregnant CL. Furthermore, blocking Slit/Robo signaling pathway with ROBO1/Fc chimera in the luteal cells in vitro significantly decreased the apoptotic rate of late luteal cells. These results suggest that Slit/Robo family members are mainly expressed in the late-phase CL of ovary and participate in luteal cells apoptosis.

Key words: Slit/Robo signal pathway; luteal cells; apoptosis

Received: 2018-08-30　　Accepted: 2018-11-08

Corresponding author: 高不郎　　E-mail: browngao@163.com

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2019.0026

Citing This Article：

ZHANG Xue-Jing, MI Mei-Yan, HAO Wei-Li, GAO Bu-Lang. Slit/Robo pathway participates in luteal cells apoptosis. Acta Physiol Sin 2019; 71 (2): 287-293 (in Chinese with English abstract).