Effects of Echinomycin on PCNA-Dependent Follicular Development in PMSG-Induced Sprague-Dawley Rats

Abstract

Echinomycin (Ech) is a small-molecule inhibitor of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 DNA-binding activity, which plays a crucial role in the regulation of ovarian functions in mammals. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha-mediated proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expressions contributed to the follicular development in the rat ovary primed by pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG). Through the histological examination, the decrease of growing and antral follicle numbers was found after Ech treatment both in control and PMSG treated groups. And then PCNA mRNA and protein expressions were found to significantly increase in the ovaries treated with PMSG, and the similar changes were found in HIF-1alpha mRNA and protein expressions, indicating PMSG-induced follicular development may be through HIF-1alpha/PCNA signaling. Furthermore, PCNA expression was found to significantly decrease in the ovaries after Ech treatment, while HIF-1alpha mRNA and protein expression was no obviously changes. Further analysis found the changes of PCNA expression were consistent with HIF-1 activity in the ovaries, further suggesting the regulatory roles in the follicular development. Taken together, these results demonstrated this HIF-1alpha-mediated PCNA expression is one of the important mechanisms regulating the ovarian follicular development in mammals. Keywords: HIF-1alpha; PCNA; echinomycin; HIF prolyl hyodroxylase acitvity; follicular development