Endocrine Abstracts

Quercetin and resveratrol, powerful antioxidants and blockers of intracellular mTOR signalling system, are widely distributed in edible plants. Their action on ovarian cell functions and the interrelationships with gonadotropin are studied insufficiently. We examined the effect of FSH, quercetin, resveratrol and their combinations on proliferation and apoptosis of cultured porcine ovarian granulosa cells. Accumulation of marker of proliferation (PCNA) and marker of apoptosis (bax) was determined by immunocytochemistry. It was observed that FSH increased the expresion of PCNA and decreased the expresion of bax in cultured ovarian cells. Either quercetin and resveratrol, when added alone, decreased the occurence of proliferation marker and increased the expression of apoptosis marker. FSH in combination with either quercetin and resveratrol decreased the occurence of PCNA and increased the expression bax. Therefore, these plant extracts were able to prevent and even invert FSH action. Our observations suggest, that FSH can up-regulate, and plant molecules quercetin and resveratrol can down-regulate ovarian cell functions, and that the intake of these plant molecules can inhibit and even invert FSH action on ovarian cells. Furthermore, it is possible, that FSH action on ovarian cell functions can be mediated via mTOR intracellular signalling system.

Key Words: FSH, quercetin, resveratrol, mTOR, proliferation, apoptosis, porcine granulosa cells