TY - JOUR
T1 - Bcl-x is not required for maintenance of follicles and corpus luteum in the postnatal mouse ovary
AU - Riedlinger, Gregory
AU - Okagaki, Ryugo
AU - Wagner, Kay Uwe
AU - Rucker, Edmund B.
AU - Oka, Takami
AU - Miyoshi, Keiko
AU - Flaws, Jodi A.
AU - Hennighausen, Lothar
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - It has been proposed that Bcl-x is a key survival factor in many cell types, and that the bcl-x gene is activated by the transcription factor Stat5 through cytokine signals. In support of this, it has been demonstrated that the survival of mouse primordial germ cells during embryogenesis depends on the presence of Bcl-x. We have now investigated whether, in the mouse, Bcl-x is required for the postnatal maintenance of follicles and luteal cells, and whether Stat5 activates the bcl-x gene. The bcl-x gene was deleted in these cells within the mouse using Cre-loxP recombination. Loss of the bcl-x gene did not affect the numbers of primordial, primary, and antral follicles. Furthermore, expression of the bcl-x gene in the ovary was independent of Stat5 and its activating hormone, prolactin. To determine whether the prolactin receptor (PrlR), Stat5, and Bcl-x were required for establishment and maintenance of the corpus luteum, we induced pseudopregnancies in the respective gene-deletion mice. Whereas luteal cells underwent apoptosis in the absence of the PrlR, no changes were observed in the absence of Stat5 or Bcl-x.
AB - It has been proposed that Bcl-x is a key survival factor in many cell types, and that the bcl-x gene is activated by the transcription factor Stat5 through cytokine signals. In support of this, it has been demonstrated that the survival of mouse primordial germ cells during embryogenesis depends on the presence of Bcl-x. We have now investigated whether, in the mouse, Bcl-x is required for the postnatal maintenance of follicles and luteal cells, and whether Stat5 activates the bcl-x gene. The bcl-x gene was deleted in these cells within the mouse using Cre-loxP recombination. Loss of the bcl-x gene did not affect the numbers of primordial, primary, and antral follicles. Furthermore, expression of the bcl-x gene in the ovary was independent of Stat5 and its activating hormone, prolactin. To determine whether the prolactin receptor (PrlR), Stat5, and Bcl-x were required for establishment and maintenance of the corpus luteum, we induced pseudopregnancies in the respective gene-deletion mice. Whereas luteal cells underwent apoptosis in the absence of the PrlR, no changes were observed in the absence of Stat5 or Bcl-x.
KW - Apoptosis
KW - Corpus luteum
KW - Follicle
KW - Granulosa cells
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U2 - 10.1095/biolreprod66.2.438
DO - 10.1095/biolreprod66.2.438
M3 - Article
C2 - 11804960
AN - SCOPUS:0036155194
SN - 0006-3363
VL - 66
SP - 438
EP - 444
JO - Biology of reproduction
JF - Biology of reproduction
IS - 2
ER -