Published in:
01-10-2012 | Gonadal Physiology and Disease
Overexpression of ribosomal RNA in cumulus cells of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome
Published in: Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics | Issue 10/2012
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Objective
To evaluate the level of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) in cumulus cells (CCs) from women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) undergoing ICSI.
Materials and methods
The study population included three healthy oocyte donors (control) and three patients with PCOS. RNA expression in CCs was assessed using quantitative real-time PCR assay to measure the pre-rRNA transcripts (5′ETS region), 18 S, 5.8 S and 28 S rRNA.
Results
The level of 18 S rRNA is 3.9 times higher (p = 0.036) and the level of 5.8 S rRNA is 2.9 times higher (p = 0.049) in CCs of PCOS patients than in CCs of healthy women. The fold change in expression of 28 S rRNA in CCs of PCOS patients also exceeds that in the control group, but did not reach a statistical significance (p = 0.342).
Conclusion
Our observations support the idea that CCs of PCOS patients contain comparatively more ribosomes that CCs of healthy oocyte donors that may indicate a higher proliferation rate or up-regulated translation of protein factors in ССs of PCOS patients.