Follicle-stimulating hormone receptors expression in ovine corpora lutea during luteal phase: effect of nutritional plane and follicle-stimulating hormone treatment

Corpus luteum (CL), a transient endocrine gland critical for reproductive cyclicity and pregnancy maintenance, is controlled by numerous regulatory factors. Although LH is widely recognized as the major regulator, other factors may also affect luteal functions. It has been demonstrated that FSH receptors (FSHR) are expressed not only in ovarian follicles but also in other tissues within the reproductive tract, including the CL. To evaluate FSHR expression in nontreated (nonsuperovulated; experiment 1) or FSH-treated (superovulated; experiment 2) sheep fed a control (C; maintenance), excess (O; 2 × C), or restricted (U; 0.6 × C) diet, CL were collected at the early, mid and/or late luteal phases (n = 5-7 per group). Protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of FSHR were detected in the CL from all groups using immunohistochemistry followed by image analysis and quantitative RT-PCR, respectively. Follicle-stimulating hormone receptor was immunolocalized to steroidogenic small and large and nonsteroidogenic luteal cells. In both experiments, FSHR protein expression was not affected by stage of luteal development or diet. In experiment 1, expression of mRNA for all FSHR variants was greater (P0.02 to 0.0003) at the late phase than mid or early luteal phase, and in experiment 2, it was greater (P0.001) at the mid than early luteal phase. Plane of nutrition did not affect FSHR mRNA expression. Comparison of FSH-treated with nontreated ewes demonstrated that FSH increased FSHR protein expression by 1.5- to 2-fold (P0.0001) in all groups, and mRNA expression by 7- to 30-fold (P0.001) for (1) FSHR-1 in all groups except U at the early luteal phase, (2) FSHR-2 in C, O, and U at the mid-phase, but not early luteal phase, and (3) FSHR-3 in U at the mid-luteal phase. Our data demonstrate that (1) FSHRs are expressed in ovine CL at several stages of luteal development, (2) FSHR protein expression does not change during the luteal phase and is not affected by diet, (3) FSHR mRNA expression not only depends on the stage of the estrous cycle but also not affected by diet in nonsuperovulated or superovulated ewes, and (4) in vivo FSH treatment enhanced FSHR protein and/or mRNA expression in the CL depending on diet and phase of the estrous cycle. Presence of FSHR in the CL indicates a regulatory role of FSH in luteal function in sheep. As very little is known about the possible role of FSH and FSHR in luteal functions, further studies should be undertaken to elucidate the endocrine, molecular, and cellular mechanisms of FSH effects on the CL.