Unit:
ΠΜΣ Αναπαραγωγική-Αναγεννητική ΙατρικήLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Supervisors info:
Λουτράδης Δημήτριος, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Δρακάκης Πέτρος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Ντόμαλη Κατερίνα, Επίκουρος Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Έκφραση CART (mRNA) στα κοκκώδη κύτταρα σε πληθυσμό γυναικών IVF/ICSI. Συσχετισμός με βάρος και με δείκτη μάζας σώματος (ΒΜΙ)
Translated title:
Expression of CART (Cocaine and amphetamine regulated transcript), in granulosa cells, from women undergoing IVF/ICSI, in correlation with BMI
Summary:
Nowadays more and more couples are suffering from subfertility, thus subfertility has involved from a worldwide phenomenon to a new modern disease. The last 40 years the medical answer to this problem is assisted reproduction, were plenty of technologies are applied in order to restore the fertility and the reproduction status of people who suffering.
In females the basic reproduction unit of the ovary is the follicle. Each follicle contains a single oocyte, surrounded by the somatic cells, granulosa and theca cells. Moreover, the female gamete, the oocyte has become the main research target in reproduction biology. It was not until recently where the interest of molecular biology addressed to granulosa cells which are considered as the “mirror” of the oocyte. Furthermore the presence of those cells during the follicle maturation but principally the bidirectional communication between granulosa-granulosa cells, granulosa-theca cells and granulosa-oocyte, illuminates the interesting role of granulosa cells as a potential biomarker to characterize the quality of the follicle and as a result of the female reproduction capacity. In addition to the above the possibility of a molecular analysis of the granulosa cells constitutes a non invasive method to investigate the reproductive ability of the oocyte and respectively of the follicle.
The gene CART (Cocaine and amphetamine regulated transcript), is a novel gene which encodes for an anorectic peptide that is widely distributed in the CNS and is associated with regulation of many processes, including food intake and endocrine function. Additionally what is clear is the role of this gene in the Leptin pathway. Therefore CART gene is strongly associated with the BMI.
Here we use human granulosa cells to investigate the association among CART gene expression and BMI. The results support our hypothesis, illustrating a positive correlation between CART and BMI. Notwithstanding the fact of our results it is of a great significance to continue this survey for a critical amount of females in order to secure our hypothesis. In this case this gene could be a potential non invasive biomarker of the follicle quality and female reproduction health. To sum up to the above the development of a novel biomarker could help infertility specialists to treat patients with a more personalized and predicted way.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
CART (Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript), CARTPT, Granulosa Cells, BMI, Human Reproduction, IVF
Number of references:
205
