Biology of reproduction
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Biology of reproduction · Mar 2011
Follicular fluid high-density lipoprotein-associated sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) promotes human granulosa lutein cell migration via S1P receptor type 3 and small G-protein RAC1.
Coordinated migration and progesterone production by granulosa cells is critical to the development of the corpus luteum, but the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), which is associated with follicular fluid high-density lipoprotein (FF-HDL), was previously shown to regulate ovarian angiogenesis. We herein examined the effects of S1P and FF-HDL on the function of granulosa lutein cells. ⋯ Both FF-HDL and S1P triggered activation of small G-protein RAC1 and actin polymerization in granulosa cells, and RAC1 inhibition with Clostridium difficile toxin B or NSC23766 abolished FF-HDL- and S1P-induced migration. The FF-HDL-associated S1P promotes granulosa lutein cell migration via S1PR3 and RAC1 activation. This may represent a novel mechanism contributing to the development of the corpus luteum.