Aquaporin-4 deficiency induces subfertility in female mice

作者：Sun, Xiu-Lan; Zhang, Jing; Fan, Yi; Ding, Jian-Hua; Sha, Jia-Hao; Hu, Gang^*

来源：Fertility and Sterility, 2009, 92(5): 1736-1743.

DOI：10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.07.1785

• Aquaporin 4
• knockout
• reproduction
• female
• mice

Objective: To investigate the effects of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) on female fertility. @@@ Design: Prospective, randomized animal study. @@@ Setting: Medical university. @@@ Animal(s): AQP4(+/+) and AQP4(-/-) female mice. @@@ Intervention(s): Eight- to 10-week-old virgin female AQP4(+/+) and AQP4(-/-) mice were subjected to a mating study. Superovulation was carried out on 4-week-old AQP4(+/+) and AQP4(-/-) mice. The protocol consisted of a single intraperitoneal (IP) injection with 5 units of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) for 48 hours, followed by 5 units of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for an additional 14 or 48 hours. @@@ Main Outcome Measure(s): Pregnancy success, oocyte count, morphological changes in ovaries and uteri, and alterations of estrous cycle. @@@ Result(s): AQP4-null mice displayed subfertility as evidenced by a lower rate of pregnancy and decreased litter size. Further studies revealed that in AQP4-null mice, there were fewer numbers of antral follicles and corpora lutea in the ovaries and that uteri presented as hyporeactive to gonadotropins. In addition, in AQP4-null mice, superovulation induced by hCG and PMSG yielded fewer numbers of antral follicles, atretic follicles, corpora lutea, and oocytes in ovaries, and uteri exhibited a decreased response to exogenous gonadotropins. @@@ Conclusion(s): AQP4 deficiency induces subfertility in female mice. (Fertil Steril (R) 2009;92:1736-43.

• 出版日期2009-11
• 单位南京医科大学