Obstet Gynecol Sci.  2014 Mar;57(2):93-101.

Molecular mechanisms of luteinization

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan. sugino@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp

Abstract

Dynamic changes in steroidogenesis occur in ovarian granulosa cells during ovulation after the LH surge. The ovulatory LH surge induces rapid up-regulation of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein and rapid down-regulation of aromatase (Cyp19a1) in granulosa cells undergoing luteinization during ovulation. These rapid changes in StAR and Cyp19a1 gene expression after the LH surge efficiently facilitate progesterone production, which plays a crucial role in ovulation and the following luteinization. Recently, it has become clear that epigenetic regulation such as histone modifications and DNA methylation play a key role in gene expression through the chromatin remodeling of the promoter region. This study reports the in vivo evidence that epigenetic mechanisms including histone modifications, DNA methylation and chromatin remodeling are involved in the rapid changes of StAR and Cyp19a1 gene expression in granulosa cells undergoing luteinization during ovulation.

Keyword

Cyp19a1; Epigenetics; Histone modification; Luteinization; StAR

MeSH Terms

Aromatase
Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly
DNA Methylation
Down-Regulation
Epigenomics
Female
Gene Expression
Granulosa Cells
Histones
Lutein*
Luteinization*
Ovulation
Progesterone
Promoter Regions, Genetic
Up-Regulation
Aromatase
Histones
Lutein
Progesterone
Full Text Links
  • OGS
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr